Tua Ruled Out for Buffalo Game

There will be no Tua Tagovailoa for the Miami Dolphins for their playoff game at Buffalo.

Head coach Mike McDaniel said Wednesday that Tua Tagovailoa has not been cleared to return to practice for the first time since he entered concussion protocol the day after Christmas, and has been ruled out of the playoff game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Head coach Mike McDaniel made the announcement at the top of his weekly Wednesday media session, providing an answer to the biggest question heading into the playoff game at Buffalo.

McDaniel described Tagovailoa at having to miss the game as "conflicting."

"He, himself, is learning that he needs to listen to the advice of doctors and medical professionals," McDaniel said. "He understands the severity of doing that, so there’s a little bit of things that he can’t control. He was an incredible part of the entire season. I think eight of our wins were as a result of him playing quarterback, amongst the team, and that did not come because it was just gifted. That was a lot of work and preparation, so it’s very frustrating, much as a lot of things in life and football are.

"But it is very frustrating for him to not be able to go through everything with his teammates and really it was a huge goal of his to help get this team to the playoffs and he wants to play in the playoffs. There’s nothing more fun than playoff football and he really finds normal football fun. So very conflicting I would say, but (Tua) understands that it’s his best interest that the doctors and medical professionals are seeking and respects and regards that. So that was about it.”

McDaniel said there was a possibility that Tua could travel with the team to Buffalo, though he probably wouldn't know for sure until late in the week.

McDaniel was asked whether Tua has had any setbacks in his recovery.

“Not really setbacks," he answered. "It’s more of just I would say compounding variables. Again, I try not to micromanage everything because I don’t find a non-expert to be helpful in micromanaging. I would think that would lend one to mismanagement, so I wouldn’t say setbacks as much as just compounding variables and what needs to happen for the doctors to feel good about it.”

Since Tua entered the concussion protocol the day after Christmas, McDaniel has been consistent about declining to discuss anything beyond the moment at hand, and that wasn't about to change on this day.

So McDaniel punted when he was asked whether all parties involved — the Dolphins, Tua and medical personnel — expect him to continue playing at some point. He clearly didn't care for the question, at the same time understanding that it's part of the conversation and also fair to ask.

"I’m just thinking about his day and him getting to full health as a human being," McDaniel said. "And then when it’s time to turn the page, I’ll turn the page, but I’m pretty – integrity in principle to a fault and stubborn as all get out. If I hear that’s the way that I should approach it, I will approach it that way and I do not deviate. Really, the next step is for him to be fully through this protocol and then we can see where the land lays, so to speak. But outside of that, I’m just worried about him.”

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TUA'S STRONG WORK AGAINST BUFFALO IN 2022

Tua hasn't played since the Christmas Day game against the Green Bay Packers when he threw three fourth-quarter interceptions in a 26-20 loss. Those came after the play most suspected of causing the concussion when Tua was tackled to the ground and his head made contact with the surface at Hard Rock Stadium after a short completion to tight end Durham Smythe.

Tagovailoa ended the 2022 season leading the NFL in passer rating at 105.5 despite struggling down the stretch.

After reaching triple digits six times in his first eight starts of 2022, Tagovailoa did it only once in his final four starts.

But that one time came in the Saturday night game at Buffalo, which is why Tua's return has been viewed by many analysts as perhaps the Dolphins' only chance of pulling off an upset against the heavily favored Bills. On that night, Tua was 17-for-30 for 234 yards with two touchdowns, no interceptions and a 104.0 passer rating. The two touchdowns went for 67 yards to Jaylen Waddle and 20 yards to Tyreek Hill.

In the Week 3 Dolphins-Bills game at Hard Rock Stadium, Tagovailoa attempted only 18 passes as Buffalo controlled the ball most of the game, but he completed 13 for 186 yards with one touchdown, no interceptions and a passer rating of 123.8.

THE BIG DOLPHINS QB QUESTION

McDaniel was non-committal about the Dolphins quarterback situation Monday, though he did suggest that veteran Teddy Bridgewater likely would be ready to go after sitting out the season finale against the New York Jets because of a finger injury.

Rookie Skylar Thompson started against the Jets, but left the game dealing with some minor injury issues.

McDaniel said that as of Wednesday he was preparing as though Thompson will be the starting quarterback for the Buffalo game.

The last time the Dolphins were in the playoffs, they had to go with their backup quarterback because starter Ryan Tannehill was sidelined with a knee injury.

Matt Moore started the wild-card playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers and put up solid passing numbers, completing 29 of 36 passes for 289 yards with one touchdown, one interception and a 97.8 passer rating. But Moore also lost two fumbles while being sacked and the overmatched Dolphins left then-Heinz Field after a 30-12 loss.

The only other time the Dolphins started a backup quarterback in a playoff game was in 1972 when veteran Earl Morrall, who had come in for an injured Bob Griese in Week 5, started against the Cleveland Browns in the divisional round and against Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship Game before Griese came off the bench to replace him.

That 1972 Dolphins team obviously was unique. The current Dolphins obviously didn't want to have to use a backup quarterback, but Tagovailoa's well-being obviously is what's most important here.