The good news for the Miami Dolphins is that Tua Tagovailoa is back in the fold and expected to play on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. The better news is that according to a new report from ESPN, there should be no worry about him continuing to play football.
ESPN's Ryan Clark said on Monday Night Countdown that he spoke with someone in "Miami" and that after undergoing extensive testing, not one medical person told Tua he should retire. This feels quite promising, especially after that was so much concern following his Week 2 concussion:
🎥 Ryan Clark on Tua Tagovailoa’s return: “I talked to someone in Miami and they said that Tua underwent extensive testing… not one medical professional told him he should consider retiring.” (@ESPNNFL) #GoFins pic.twitter.com/Gu8krBvB0R
— FinsXtra (@FinsXtra) October 21, 2024
Who Clark spoke with is unknown, and what defines a "medical professional" is also unknown. We have to assume it was someone from the Dolphins and the medical personnel are neurologists. That won't change the national narrative of whether or not some in the media believe he should retire, but it should give Dolphins fans a little more confidence.
Tua Tagovailoa is expected to start for the Dolphins vs. the Cardinals
Tua spoke with the media on Monday and made it clear that not only was he not listening to the outside talk about retirement, but also that at no time did it enter his mind. In fact, he said that his family didn't mention it either.
Tua's latest concussion wasn't some big hit on a sack, it came after a rough decision on his part to try and get the Dolphins back into a game they were already losing pretty badly. Lowering his head into a defender was not smart. He needs to learn to lower a shoulder instead, but in reality, he needs to slide.
It's hard to foresee the future after several concussions. Trent Green went through this in Kansas City and then finally another head injury ended his career in the NFL with the Dolphins. The Dolphins are hoping that Tua's return will elevate the team around him and a winning streak can get them back into the chase for a postseason position.
Miami has several winnable games on the way, including Sunday's Arizona game. They will then have a tough road game against the Bills before heading to California to play the Rams. They will then have the Raiders and Patriots. Miami has to find a way to win at least three of those games, if not four, if they have any real chance of staying in the playoff hunt.