Tua Officially Out for New England Game
It seemed a foregone conclusion all week, but it became official Friday: Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will sit out the Miami Dolphins' Week 17 game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium.
Head coach Mike McDaniel revealed the news during his pre-practice session, confirming at the same time that Teddy Bridgewater will make his second start for the Dolphins this season.
Tagovailoa remains in the concussion protocol after being injured in the 26-20 loss against the Green Bay Packers on Christmas Day.
McDaniel had indicated Wednesday that he was proceeded at the moment with Bridgewater as the starter for the week, at the same time declining to rule out Tagovailoa because he wanted the focus when it comes to the third-year quarterback from Alabama to be on his health and his day-to-day progress.
This will be the third start Tagovailoa has missed this season, following the Week 5 game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium and the Week 6 game against the Minnesota Vikings at Hard Rock Stadium.
That came in the aftermath of Tagovailoa's first confirmed concussion this season, the scary-looking injury that saw him taken off the field on a stretcher in the second quarter of the Sept. 29 Thursday night game at Cincinnati.
Bridgewater's only start for the Dolphins lasted all of one play because he was pulled by the concussion spotter after being hit by Jets rookie cornerback Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner on Miami's first offensive snap.
Bridgewater also took two snaps against Buffalo in Week 3 after Tagovailoa left to be examined for a possible head injury after being shoved to the ground by linebacker Matt Milano before Tua returned in the second half with official word being that his stumbling was due to a back injury.
Bridgewater's two most extensive appearances this season came in that Thursday night game against Cincinnati and against Minnesota when he replaced rookie Skylar Thompson in the second quarter and went on to pass for 329 yards in a 24-16 loss.
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