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The Miami Dolphins have been eliminated from the NFL playoffs. They finished out the regular season and their brief playoff appearance without starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. He dealt with concussions this season, and his second sidelined him for the final three games of Miami’s season.
Tagovailoa’s health is of utmost importance. He didn’t clear the NFL concussion protocol by the season’s end, but even if he would have, risking a third concussion would not have been smart. At the time of this writing, it is assumed that Tagovailoa will be continuing his NFL career in the future. Even though the Dolphins are only one day removed from their loss, head coach Mike McDaniel said in a press conference on Monday that the expectation is that Tagovailoa will be their quarterback for 2023.
#Dolphins GM Chris Grier says that in conversations about doctors about QB Tua Tagovailoa: "We fully expect him back next year, 100%, ready to go."
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 16, 2023
Grier also said in speaking with consultants: "I don't think he's any more prone (to concussions) than anyone else."
Anything can happen in an NFL offseason. Fans and analysts alike have floated various scenarios out that see Miami moving Tagovailoa to another team in exchange for either a draft pick or a quarterback. One of the popular ideas has the Baltimore Ravens franchise tagging Lamar Jackson and then trading him to Miami for a package that would include Tagovailoa and draft picks. For now, the expectation is that Tagovailoa will be back and starting for Miami next season. He has one more year on his rookie deal and then a potential fifth-year if his team picks up the fifth-year option.