Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered another scary head injury in Miami's Week 2 loss to the Bills.
Tagovailoa had the Dolphins offense in the red zone in the third quarter, trying to cut into Buffalo's three-touchdown lead. He scrambled on 4th-and-4 from the 13-yard line, fighting to get at least the first down and possibly more.
Tagovailoa put his head down as he got hit by Bills safety Damar Hamlin. His neck jammed on contact and the quarterback went straight to the ground.
He remained on the ground for a few minutes as players on both teams took a knee around him. Tagovailoa did not return to the contest.
How long will this injury keep Tagovailoa sidelined? The Sporting News has you covered with the latest updates below.
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What is Tua Tagovailoa's injury?
Tagovailoa was diagnosed with a concussion — the third official concussion of his career .
He eventually walked off the field under his own power before being brought to the medical tent. After being diagnosed with a concussion, Tagovailoa went back to the locker room and remained there for the rest of the game.
Late in the fourth quarter, "Thursday Night Football" sideline reporter Kaylee Hartung gave a positive update that Tagovailoa had control over all of his extremities.
"He was in good spirits," head coach Mike McDaniel said of his starting quarterback after the game. "...I was worried about my guy. It's not something you ever want to be a part of."
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How long is Tua Tagovailoa out?
There is no timetable for Tagovailoa's return.
Per the NFL's concussion protocol, he must clear a series of steps to return to the field, and he's guaranteed to miss at least one game.
Given that this is the third official concussion of Tagovailoa's career , expect the Dolphins to be extremely cautious with their star quarterback. If he is placed on the IR, he will be forced to sit out a minimum of four games but will still have to clear concussion protocol to return.
McDaniel declined to discuss a return timeline Friday, saying it is not helpful. Instead, he shared that the Dolphins QB will have daily assessments with experts.
With the Dolphins getting a bye in Week 6, it wouldn't be a shock to see Tagovailoa sit out the next three games and, if ready, return in Week 7, over a month from now.
Media members like "Thursday Night Football's" Tony Gonzalez were making the case for Tagovailoa to protect his future and retire from football before making matters worse.
"I'm thinking retirement here," Gonzalez said in the postgame show . "To me, it seems like a no-brainer. The brain, this is is something that can affect you long-term. For me, it's time to move on."
MORE: NFL concussion protocol explainer
How long does the NFL concussion protocol last?
There are several steps that NFL players have to go through before they are medically cleared. Each phase takes a different amount of time depending on the severity of the concussion.
The timeline can also differ on a case-by-case basis.
Here are the steps players have to take to leave the concussion protocol:
Symptom limited activity
In this phase, players are asked not to engage in much activity. They are supposed to rest during this period and limit anything that could aggravate their symptoms. Eventually, players will be allowed to do limited stretching and light aerobic exercises, so long as team training staff are supervising.
Aerobic exercise
Players will start to work on cardio exercises along with stretching and training, with team medical staff supervising. After this phase, players can start working on balance testing.
Football-specific exercise
In the third stage, players can take part in football-specific exercises and start working with the team for up to 30 minutes under supervision. Players are also able to increase their cardio workloads.
Club-based non-contact training drills
Players reaching the fourth stage are able to start throwing, catching, and running and engage in activities more specific to their position. They also can continue to ramp up their exercise and training. By end of this phase, players have to have undergone neurocognitive and balance testing.
Full football activity/clearance
The player has to be cleared by both the club physician and the independent neurological consultant to return to full activity.
Dolphins schedule 2024
| Week | Date | Opponent | Time (ET)/Result | TV Channel |
| 1 | Sept. 8 | vs. Jaguars | W, 20-17 | — |
| 2 | Sept. 12 | vs. Bills | L, 31-10 | — |
| 3 | Sept. 22 | at Seahawks | 4:05 p.m. | CBS |
| 4 | Sept. 30 | vs. Titans (MNF) | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| 5 | Oct. 6 | at Patriots | 1 p.m. | FOX |
| 6 | — | BYE | — | — |
| 7 | Oct. 20 | at Colts | 1 p.m. | FOX |
| 8 | Oct. 27 | vs. Cardinals | 1 p.m. | FOX |
| 9 | Nov. 3 | at Bills | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| 10 | Nov. 11 | at Rams (MNF) | 8:15 p.m. | ESPN |
| 11 | Nov. 17 | vs. Raiders | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| 12 | Nov. 24 | vs. Patriots | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| 13 | Nov. 28 | at Packers (Thanksgiving) | 8:20 p.m. | NBC/Peacock |
| 14 | Dec. 8 | vs. Jets | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| 15 | Dec. 15 | at Texans | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| 16 | Dec. 22 | vs. 49eres | 4:25 p.m. | CBS |
| 17 | Dec. 29 | at Browns (SNF) | 8:20 p.m. | NBC/Peacock |
| 18 | Jan. 5 | at Jets | TBD | TBD |
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