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NFL Insider Gets Honest on Tua Tagovailoa’s Chances to Play vs. Cardinals as IR Stay Ends on Sunday

Nidhi
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Miami Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith (9) reacts on the field while training staff members attend to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1, not pictured) after an apparent injury during the second half against the Buffalo Bills at Hard Rock Stadium.

Dolphins fans are itching to see their QB back on the field. Tua Tagalovia got placed on IR on Sept. 17 which means the first game he is available to play will be Week 8 against the Arizona Cardinals. However, there’s been no clear indication from the Phins’ camp if he will be activated during that game.

On the Rich Eisen Show, Tom Pelissero noted that Tua still needs clearance from an independent neurologist, which he doesn’t expect to be an issue given that Tagovailoa has consulted numerous experts without being advised against playing football.

Ultimately, as Pelissero put it, the decision regarding when he returns to the field will rest with Tagovailoa, his family, and his medical team.

Another insider, Adam Schefter, reported that Tagovailoa is “symptom-free” and appears to be on track to return to the field as soon as Week 8. While some seem optimistic about the Dolphins QB’s return, HC Mike McDaniel hasn’t confirmed if he will be back by Week 8.

McDaniel says Tua will be back this year

As Tua was carted off the field with his third reported concussion in two years, fans and pundits alike advised the QB to hang up his cleats. But it doesn’t seem like that is going to happen. While McDaniel didn’t confirm when Tua will be back, he did say that he expects the QB to play in 2024:

“As far as timelines go, I know he’s not playing this week and I do expect to see him playing football in 2024, but where that is exactly we’ll let the process continue since we still have time before we could even entertain anything.”

McDaniel was once again asked about the timeline yesterday, but stood firm on his stance to not say anything without expert opinion.

With the Dolphins’ offense struggling and many believing that Tua Tagovailoa could significantly improve their performance, fans are waiting with bated breath for his return. However, no official confirmation means fans will just have to wait and watch for now.

    About the author

    Nidhi

    Nidhi

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    Nidhi is an NFL Editor for The SportsRush. Her interest in NFL began with 'The Blindside' and has been working as an NFL journalist for the past year. As an athlete herself, she uses her personal experience to cover sports immaculately. She is a graduate of English Literature and when not doing deep dives into Mahomes' latest family drama, she inhales books on her kindle like nobody's business. She is proud that she recognised Travis Kelce's charm (like many other NFL fangirls) way before Taylor Swift did, and is waiting with bated breath for the new album to drop.

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