Tua Tagovailoa's Swollen Eye for Dolphins-Falcons Game Had Fans Very Concerned

Liam McKeone | Oct 26, 2025

Tua Tagovailoa has a swollen eye entering Week 8. / Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

On Saturday Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa showed up on the team's injury report due to an illness ahead of their Week 8 clash with the Falcons. It passed mostly under the radar given how poorly Miami's season has gone, as well as the fact that every week there are NFL players who wind up getting sick and land on the pregame injury report.

But whatever Tagovailoa is dealing with carried over to Sunday and it had fans concerned. It turns out the Dolphins QB is battling some sort of illness that caused his left eye to swell up in a very noticeable fashion. Ahead of the Falcons game CBS reported he warmed up in sunglasses and will wear a visor for the first time in his career to deal with the swelling.

It does not look good at all. We got our first look at the swelling during his pregame warmups.

#Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa woke up with an illness that caused his left eye to swell, but he’s playing today, per CBS.

Here's a look at his eye:

(🎥 @houtz)pic.twitter.com/xmPheSekf1

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 26, 2025

The look had fans worried for the quarterback.

Complains he can’t see over the linemen and now he literally can’t see out of one of his eyes. https://t.co/KQIliM8Bkh

— Mike Kurland (@Mike_Kurland) October 26, 2025

Brother https://t.co/of2yAwBRkP

— JP Acosta (@acosta32_jp) October 26, 2025

What the frick https://t.co/s5pjX767dC

— Shae ✨ (@shae_dog) October 26, 2025

This should be curable btw because your left handed quarterback can’t see out of his LEFT eye and McDaniel is just like yeah let’s roll him out there, take a hint dude https://t.co/1uB9TaxFZD

— b neal (@bnealforreal) October 26, 2025

Who needs eyes as a QB? 🤷‍♂️ #PhinsUp https://t.co/phehueKsJB

— Marcus Blumberg (@MarcusBlumberg) October 26, 2025

We have a one eyed QB playing today who currently leads the league in interceptions. Just great https://t.co/MH5asUrCGp

— KG ❄️🏆 (@ShoutoutKG) October 26, 2025

Tagovailoa was already struggling to play well this season. The lefty is tied for first in the NFL with 10 interceptions while ranking 22nd in yards and 24th in QBR; he was benched in Week 7 after playing terribly against the Browns. The Dolphins are 1-6 with Tagovailoa under center and questioning how much longer owner Stephen Ross will tolerate the losing has become a weekly occurrence.

Now Tagovailoa can barely see out of his left eye, from the looks of it. A bad season for the Dolphins.

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