Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa expected to return -- sometime this season

MIAMI, Oct. 14 (UPI) -- Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa , who remains in the concussion protocol, is expected to return to the field this season, coach Mike McDaniel said Monday.

NFL rules require that Tagovailoa, who sustained the concussion Sept. 12 and was placed on injured reserve Sept. 17, sit out until at least Week 8. The Dolphins are 1-2 over their last three games without their starting quarterback.

Tagovailoa met with neurological experts amid his football hiatus to receive more information about his health status. McDaniel said updates from those meetings have "continued to be positive."

"There is still information that he is seeking this week," McDaniel told reporters at the Baptist Health Training Complex in Miami Gardens, Fla. "As far as timelines go, I know he's not playing this week.

"I do expect to see him playing football in 2024, but where that is exactly, we will let the process continue since we still have time before we can even entertain anything."

McDaniel said the Dolphins will make sure Tagovailoa is "diligent this week" before another assessment. The Dolphins coach said he "never went down the rabbit hole" of thinking about if Tagovailoa would consider retirement after the third reported concussion of his NFL career.

"It is exciting that I do believe he'll play football this year," McDaniel said.

A Week 6 bye allowed the Dolphins to work more with veteran quarterback Tyler "Snoop" Huntley, who was signed days after Tagovailoa's most recent concussion.

McDaniel said Dolphins coaches supplied Huntley with footage he could study and review during their bye week, allowing him to improve footwork and familiarize himself with fundamentals.

"Five days for him was like an eternity based on how he had to play catch up," McDaniel said of Huntley's bye week workload.

Huntley completed 60.4% (32 of 53) of his passes for 290 yards and an interception through two appearances for the Dolphins. He will lead the Dolphins (2-3) will face the Indianapolis Colts (3-3) at 1 p.m. EDT Sunday in Indianapolis.

The Colts allowed the third-most yards in the NFL so far this season, including the second-most rushing yards and seventh-most passing yards.

The Dolphins, who had the top offensive in the NFL last season, rank 21st in yards in 2024. They have the No. 25 passing attack and rank No. 18 in rushing.