Mike McDaniel reveals emotional message he gave Tua Tagovailoa after suffering injury

The scene of Tua Tagovailoa lying on the turf at Hard Rock Stadium was hard to watch. It quieted the crowd, and immediate questions began being asked. As Tua finally got up and walked off the field, his head coach's arm around him, the professional game took a backseat to the personal one.

Tua left the field and headed to the Dolphins locker room, where his family would meet him. The Dolphins soon confirmed that Tagovailoa had suffered a concussion and wouldn't return to the game.

Head coach Mike McDaniel was talking in his ear as he left the field. Today, a still-emotional McDaniel told the media what he said.

"I told him he's the starting quarterback of his family. Go in the locker room, take a deep breath, and I'll see you soon," said McDaniel.

Mike McDaniel said Dolphins will know more after Tua Tagovailoa meets with specialists

The question was met with an emotional response from McDaniel, who needed to gather himself before starting to answer. The entire interview session was somber in mood, and the weight of his quarterback's health was clearly on his mind.

Despite persistence from the media members, McDaniel refused to give a timeline or any answers to Tagovailoa's future with the team, either from a Dolphins standpoint or from Tua's.

He was asked directly about the potential of Tua retiring and told the media that he would be wrong to "even sniff that subject," saying it would do no good to the team or to Tua.

Miami is clearly dealing with an unprecedented situation. The team is two weeks into the new season with a quarterback who is now the highest-paid player in team history at his position. It's unclear how long Tagovailoa will miss, but McDaniel and the Dolphins' medical staff will give him as long as he needs to get healthy.

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