Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa to miss Pro Bowl, remains in concussion protocol

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will miss February’s Pro Bowl games as he remains in the NFL’s concussion protocol a month after his latest head injury.

Tagovailoa was placed in the NFL’s concussion protocol for the second time on December 26 this season after sustaining a concussion in the Dolphins’ defeat to the Green Bay Packers on Christmas Day.

In a game loss against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 4, Tagovailoa sustained a concussion from a hit that rendered him unconscious and required him to be taken off the field, leading to nearly a month-long absence from the field.

Rob DeMello

2023-01-28 12:38

Tua Tagovailoa’s parents express gratitude for overwhelming support from #Hawaii and beyond throughout Tua’s adversities this past season, have no doubts that he will return as #Dolphins quarterback in 2023 #NFLHawaii @TuaFoundation @PolynesianFBHOF 🤙🏽 @AHoshidaSports https://t.co/RaZaPhUOg9

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This happened just four days after he was cleared to play again in a game against the Buffalo Bills despite showing signs of concussion after a previous hit.

Tagovailoa is now expected to miss another game after missing the last three games of the regular season and the Dolphin’s wild-card playoff defeat to the Buffalo Bills. According to ESPN, the team extended his stay in the protocol on purpose to give him more time to consult with several medical professionals.

The Dolphins are not rushing Tagovailoa back and are instead putting his health first. This suggests that Tagovailoa has not had any hurdles in his recovery. However, he will miss the next week’s Pro Bowl games because of it.

Tagovailoa’s questionable future in NFL

Given that both Cincinnati and the Kansas City Chiefs will be participating in this week’s AFC Champions game and one of the quarterbacks will be playing in the Super Bowl, Tagovailoa was designated as the first alternate and would have taken the place of either Joe Burrow or Patrick Mahomes.

In his third season, the 24-year-old quarterback made career highs in passing yards and touchdowns and topped the league in passer rating.

Despite concerns about Tagovailoa’s future in the NFL following three concussions this season, medical experts are confident that the quarterback can resume his NFL career next season. He is expected to return as Miami’s starting quarterback in the 2023 season.