The Miami Dolphins misplaced to the Buffalo Payments on Thursday evening in a recreation that was by no means shut. The story from the sport was not the loss, although, however reasonably the harm to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Within the third quarter, Tagovailoa scrambled away from stress on a 4th-and-2 play, choosing up six yards and giving Miami a 1st-and-Purpose. On the deal with, nevertheless, Tagovailoa leaned into security Damar Hamlin and sustained a concussion.
The quarterback, as he hit the bottom, displayed fencing signs, the scary second the place the arms start twitching uncontrollably and are pulled up in entrance of the face. Tagovailoa confirmed related signs from a concussion through the 2022 season, a 12 months wherein he sustained three concussions. He left final evening’s recreation instantly and went into the locker room, with the group confirming he had sustained a concussion.
On Friday morning, head coach Mike McDaniel met with the media, with Tagovailoa’s harm, standing, and the group’s method ahead as the principle matters of dialogue.
McDaniel was requested if the Dolphins are contemplating including a quarterback as they assess Tagovailoa’s well being and any potential return, or if they may transfer ahead with quarterback Skylar Thompson because the starter. McDaniel defined, “[The discussion of potentially adding a veteran] began late final evening and I feel the way in which to finest articulate the place we’re at is the group and the group are very assured in Skylar and see there was a motive he was our backup quarterback. That being mentioned, we’ll usher in somebody. We’re simply evaluating the professionals and cons for the totally different conditions and getting by way of all these potentialities to do the perfect factor for the group, however because it stands in the present day, I’m anticipating that Skylar is the subsequent man up.”
The coach was requested if he believes final evening’s concussion was worse than the earlier concussions he sustained in 2022. “Realistically for me, at the beginning, I’m not assessing the harm by way of the lens of all proper, so what does this imply for him enjoying? And so simply what I do know to be of the utmost significance and what I actually care about, it didn’t actually matter the severity of it. I feel that is one thing that it’s tremendous vital to – the entire, all of the science behind concussions tells you what we’ve realized is how delicate the time is true after an harm and the way vital it’s that you just don’t institute additional sources of hysteria. So from my vantage level, I really feel it’s supremely vital in understanding that, that I’m not giving off any form of vibes, I’m not attempting to even have a look at, ‘OK properly, how critical is that this relative to his previous ones?’
He continued, saying, “Actually, actually for me, I do know the information are that it’s vital that he will get wholesome daily and in that, the precise, the perfect factor I can do shouldn’t be attempt to assess what this even means from a soccer standpoint. And understanding that and with my relationship with gamers – particularly with Tua, however with all of the gamers – it’s not in my DNA to suppose, ‘Hey, what does this imply for…’ What it means is that to correctly prioritize what’s most vital that I’ve to place his well being as the first. And so it’s been 10 hours since I final talked to you guys. For me, I completely positively is not going to do something to make something worse or damage anybody of our gamers, particularly guys which might be in concussion protocol.
“Sarcastically, I feel there’s lots of people which have vested curiosity within the Miami Dolphins. There’s loads of followers and there’s lots of people that wish to assist, however fairly actually, questioning timelines; that offers forth anxiousness. Attempting to satisfy them, attempting to evaluate what this implies for enjoying. That is heavy stuff that you need to be diligent and deliberate and training up Tua, ‘Hey, your job is to be a dad and to speak each day’ – and we’ll have each day assessments with specialists within the area and deal with that. And that’s the solely factor that issues since you don’t make issues worse by attempting to – he would be capable to really feel if I used to be attempting to vibe out and diminishing what this was based mostly upon some signs. So actually I perceive it fully and it’s not like I might’ve thought some other method till I used to be ready of discovering out info of what’s finest for gamers on this scenario, however speaking about or having any form of assumptions or planning – like I do not know and nor ought to I, and I don’t wish to as a result of I would like him to be wholesome. And one of the simplest ways to be as wholesome as quick as doable is to not deal with something however being current; for him with Ace and Maizy and Annah and that’s it.”
After clarifying that the unique query was not meant to be targeted on attempting to get Tagovailoa again on the sector, however reasonably a way of severity of the harm based mostly on the outpouring of assist from gamers each in Miami and across the league. McDaniel replied, “Thanks for qualifying that. My power is coming from my supreme care and concern for him and fairly truthfully it’s in all probability misguided that I wasn’t projecting that power out on you, however I completely hear what you’re saying and it’s since you hear the outpouring that you just wish to say as loud as you presumably can that it’s completely crucial that he’s assessing nothing to soccer proper now and when it comes to – I assume there was no dialogue of him not strolling off the sector and he was extremely communicative within the locker room with the trainers and the docs so I feel relative to another instances you can black-and-white assess that. There’s simply a lot – the those who matter essentially the most and their opinions are Tua and the docs, the specialists. And each of these folks have – I referred to as him about an hour in the past, he was nonetheless asleep so I haven’t talked to him but, and they need to be assembly right here shortly for the primary after-action time spent with specialists. However I get it and I admire that and I wasn’t triggered at you. It’s clearly one thing that there’s loads of emotional tie to.”
When the concept of contemplating doable retirement for Tagovailoa based mostly on the concussions, McDaniel said, “I feel it might be so incorrect of me to even sniff that topic and it’s extra in line of truly caring concerning the human being and that’s one thing that completely you’re speaking about his profession, proper? His profession is his, and that’s one thing that I actually, actually, actually want – I completely perceive it and it’s not misplaced. I completely get how that’s the place folks wish to go to. I simply want that individuals would for a second hear what I’m saying that citing his future shouldn’t be in the perfect curiosity of him, so I’m going to plead with everyone that does genuinely care, that that must be the very last thing in your thoughts as a result of – what do you suppose if I had been to reply that query, I’d be like, ‘All proper, that is my ideas on his profession’ and he learn it. If he agreed with it or he disagreed with it, both method I’ve simply made him worse. So I’m not taking this chance. I don’t suppose it’s applicable merely due to my care and regard, and I don’t suppose these forms of conversations if you’re speaking about any person’s profession – it in all probability is simply truthful that their profession must be determined by them.”
Photograph by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Pictures
Guardian caps, the padded helmet covers that groups have been utilizing in practices and coaching camp the final couple of years and had been authorized for in-game put on by gamers in the event that they select, had been introduced up, with the potential for McDaniel pushing Tagovailoa to contemplate carrying it any more. The coach defined, “I feel particularly, if – I feel simply normally, the second individuals are telling me immediately how a lot this, that or the opposite would particularly profit a specific particular person; when that specific dialog comes up, I’ll completely do no matter I can to observe up with issues particular to people that might assist them shifting ahead. I feel these forms of issues are far-off from me from my standpoint, however that hasn’t essentially come up. This being the primary 12 months that they’re capable of put on them, however I’m open-minded to utterly every thing to assist gamers.”
McDaniel was requested if the group has determined to place Tagovailoa on injured reserve as they think about bringing in a veteran quarterback. “Once more, that’s a good query and I completely perceive it – I actually is not going to know any form of something both method,” he replied. “As a result of once more that might be – simply understanding that, that’s how we’re working as if we all know nothing as a result of we don’t. Once more, the driving pressure behind any form of transfer – let’s say enjoying any time, let’s say IR, let’s say no matter these issues are – absolutely the most vital opinion, an important particular person on this complete equation is Tua. His opinion and what he desires to do together with his life and his profession coupled with the specialists in neuroscience, these are the driving forces behind these actions. I’m not hiding something; I’m being as clear as I completely may. I’ve zero thought what any form of timeline is, and I’m really extraordinarily motivated to be within the grey as a result of I’m extraordinarily motivated to do proper by the person who we’re speaking about.”
He continued, returning to the human-side of the difficulty over the soccer viewpoint, saying, “That’s not a really perfect approach to do enterprise essentially, however that is greater than enterprise. So we’re working as if – we simply need to function within the unknown and be ready for each scenario, and that’s all I wish to do or we should always do simply because I’m not going to hurry to judgement method prematurely. I’ll even throw this out; the one two folks, the one two opinions that actually matter which might be absolutely the driving pressure for what we’re doing at that place, Tua and the docs. I don’t know, I don’t have any info from them. Me myself? If I’m a betting man, I’m guessing that these two folks. I don’t see it, however who am I to know or decide? However I feel it’s a good evaluation to be ready to have three quarterbacks on our roster for the subsequent recreation that we’ll want so as to add one for that recreation, however once more, I do not know and I’m not going to abruptly begin making choices that aren’t in – I don’t even see myself concerned in an important components of these.
“That is – actually all I’m telling Tua is everyone seems to be relying on you to be a dad and be a dad this weekend, after which we’ll transfer from there. So there received’t be any discuss the place we’re getting into that regard and the way lengthy he’ll, when he’ll – none of that can occur with out physician’s experience and the precise participant. And once more guys, I completely admire it. It’s not misplaced on me – I’m not attempting to villainize. It’s extra of like I’ve simply realized these things, so I’m not attempting to carry any playing cards or something. However it is rather vital that there aren’t added anxiousness pushed onto him proper now, he simply must be.”
The ultimate query for McDaniel was concerning the second that he kissed Tagovailoa on the top because the quarterback walked off the sector and headed to the locker room. He defined what he mentioned to Tagovailoa in that second, stating, “I instructed him he’s the beginning quarterback of his household and to go within the locker room, take a deep breath and I’ll see you quickly.”
Photograph by Megan Briggs/Getty Pictures
You’ll be able to watch McDaniel’s media availability from Friday right here:
