Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will likely miss at least one game while he goes through the NFL's concussion protocol.
Head coach Mike McDaniel said Wednesday that the third-year quarterback was diagnosed with another concussion and is listed as "day-to-day." The team is preparing for Teddy Bridgewater to move into the starting spot for Sunday's game against the New England Patriots.
"I know the team has seen what he was prepared to do when given the entire week to prep," McDaniel said of Bridgewater's start earlier this season while Tagovailoa was dealing with his first concussion of the season.
Tagovailoa missed two games earlier this season after he was knocked out on a scary hit in Week 4 at Cincinnati. Miami lost that game and two that Tagovailoa missed. Then he came back and Miami won five straight, improving to 8-3 and moving into first place in the AFC East.
Get South Florida local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters.
CLICK HERE: NFL Concussion Protocol Explained: Symptoms, Evaluation, Return to Play
The Dolphins (8-7) haven't won since, and it's not clear when they'll see Tagovailoa on the field again.
Tagovailoa's head hit the turf when he was tackled in the second quarter of Miami's 26-20 loss to visiting Green Bay on Sunday, but was not taken out of the game or evaluated for a concussion. Miami coach Mike McDaniel said he doesn’t know for sure if Tagovailoa was concussed on the play.
Sports
This year, the Dolphins started impressively but find themselves in a similarly precarious situation. Miami was undefeated in November but winless in December, including its Christmas Day collapse against Green Bay. The Dolphins again have a precarious hold on the final AFC wild-card spot.
The Dolphins are assured of making the playoffs if they win their final two games against the Patriots and Jets, but they have other paths.
They can make the postseason with a win at New England and a Jets loss against Seattle in Week 17. If Miami beats New England and the Jets beat the Seahawks, the division rivals will face each other with a playoff spot on the line.
If the Dolphins lose to the Patriots but beat the Jets, they would need New England to lose its regular-season finale against Buffalo.
