Tyreek Hill was visibly excited to catch passes from Tua Tagovailoa on Wednesday for the first time in more than a month. “I just had a big cheese on my face,” Hill said. “It just felt so good.”
Tagovailoa practiced for the first time since he got a concussion in Week 2, and the Dolphins (2-4) hope he will start on Sunday against Arizona.
He still needs to go through the final steps of the NFL’s concussion protocol before that can happen, but returning to practice is a positive sign.
“I feel very good about how he attacked this whole process and how he came out of it to this day,” coach Mike McDaniel said before practice. “And you hope for a couple days of good work so then you have no blips and you’re cleared to play.”
Since his diagnosis on Sept. 12, Tagovailoa has met with various medical experts who specialize in brain injuries, and they determined it was safe for him to return to football, McDaniel mentioned on Monday.
Tagovailoa said he will not wear a Guardian Cap, which is a protective soft-shell helmet cover that players can choose to wear in games, calling it a “personal choice.” He already uses a helmet specifically made to reduce head injuries.
In 2022, Tagovailoa suffered two concussions, one of which caused him to briefly lose consciousness. He also took another hard hit to the head that wasn’t diagnosed as a concussion.
The fifth-year quarterback noted that these incidents raised concerns about his health and led to discussions about whether he should continue playing football. “I appreciate your concern, I really do,” Tagovailoa said. “I love this game, and I love it to the death of me, that’s it.”
Tagovailoa did not say that this latest concussion would completely change how he plays, but he mentioned he needs to “be smart.”
“My entire time playing football, I’ve been a competitor,” Tagovailoa said, “and that is — or was — sort of my edge when I would run from high school, even in college I would do the same thing. But it’s a professional setting; this is the professional level, the best of the best, you just can’t be doing that.”
Tagovailoa got his concussion in Week 2 when he chose to lower his shoulder into Buffalo Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin instead of sliding. His teammates have since told him to slide in those situations.
“We can say those things to him until we’re blue in the face,” said running back Raheem Mostert. “But one thing that I would say, there’s always my saying ‘You can bring a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.’ We’re going to bring Tua to that water, but we can’t make him drink.”
Hill pointed out a moment in last Sunday’s game against Indianapolis when fans cheered for quarterback Anthony Richardson sliding instead of taking a hit.
“I said our fans need to clap for Tua and make him slide,” Hill said. “We need you, bro. Next play, come on. It’s real, and we love him. From brother to brother, we love him. Like he’s a huge part of this team.”
Tagovailoa gained weight last season to better handle the hits he takes on the field. He didn’t miss a game due to injuries in 2023 for the first time in his career, but he lost a few pounds this offseason to improve his mobility.
McDaniel explained the balance.
“It’s not really like a quarterback run game type of thought process,” McDaniel said. “But for him, I think one of the reasons why this time around he was so diligent and deliberate on excessive running and staying in shape to keep what he feels — and I think I would agree — is a competitive advantage for his game, is being able to move his body around in the best way that allows him to make the plays that he’s capable of making. I wouldn’t say that from a schematic standpoint things would alter that much.”
The Dolphins averaged more than 200 yards passing and 400 total yards per game with Tagovailoa last season. They were second in scoring with 29.2 points and led the league in explosive plays of at least 10 yards.
With Skylar Thompson, Tyler “Snoop” Huntley, and Tim Boyle, Miami has not scored more than 15 points, and Hill and Jaylen Waddle’s production has dropped significantly with Tagovailoa out, including a combined 19 yards on two catches in Sunday’s loss to the Colts.
McDaniel said Tagovailoa should not be seen as the “savior” for Miami’s offensive struggles. Hill disagreed.
“He’s a big part of this team,” Hill said. “I’m going to keep saying that. Every guy in this locker room knows that. And obviously, when we go play a game, it’s next man up. That’s the mentality all day. But when Tua is a part of this offense, (nobody can) stop us.”
