Tua to miss Week 5 vs. Jets; no definite timeline for return
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa won't play in Week 5 against the New York Jets due to a concussion, head coach Mike McDaniel announced Monday.
"I can comfortably say that he's out for this game against the Jets," McDaniel told reporters, including the South Florida Sun Sentinel's David Furones. "It's too early to give a definite timeline."
With Tagovailoa sidelined, Teddy Bridgewater is slated to make his first start of the season for the Dolphins.
The Dolphins have been under heavy scrutiny over their handling of Tagovailoa in recent weeks. The signal-caller was stretchered off following the team's Week 4 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals after his head appeared to hit the field on a sack. He was then placed in the concussion protocol. The incident came only days after he briefly exited Miami's Week 3 game against the Buffalo Bills after he looked shaken following a big hit late in the second quarter. He missed only three plays and finished the game.
The NFLPA and NFL are in the midst of an ongoing investigation into Tagovailoa's concussion clearance in Week 3. The players' union reportedly terminated the unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant involved in the clearance after uncovering "several mistakes."
In the wake of the Week 3 ordeal, the league and NFLPA have agreed to modify the league's concussion protocol. Changes reportedly include prohibiting players from returning to the game any time they demonstrate any instability.
The Dolphins have remained adamant that Tagovailoa was only plagued by back and ankle injuries during the Week 3 meeting with the Bills.
Miami opened the season with three consecutive wins before falling to the Bengals last Thursday.
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