CNN
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Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel was more focused on the well-being of Tua Tagovailoa than the team’s future on Friday after the star quarterback suffered another terrifying head injury on Thursday night.

Tagovailoa was injured in the third quarter of Thursday’s 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills when he dove for a first down and hit his head in a collision with Bills safety Damar Hamlin. The 26-year-old remained on the ground at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens and was treated by Dolphins trainers. Tagovailoa eventually walked off the field under his own power and was replaced by backup quarterback Skylar Thompson.

McDaniel told reporters Friday that Tagovailoa was asleep when he tried to call earlier in the morning and said Tagovailoa would have his first “after action” meeting with the team’s medical experts later in the day.

“It’s important that he gets healthier every day and the best thing I can do is not try to estimate what that even means from a football standpoint,” McDaniel told reporters in a video conference.

It’s at least the third concussion the quarterback has suffered during his NFL career. McDaniel declined to speculate on the severity of Tagovailoa’s latest concussion or a timeline for his possible return to the football field.

“It didn’t really matter how severe it was,” McDaniel said. “All the science behind concussions tells you what we’ve learned, which is how delicate the time is right after an injury and how important it is that you don’t create additional sources of anxiety.”

“Questioning timelines — that’s anxiety-inducing,” McDaniel added. “Trying to meet them, trying to gauge what this means for playing — it’s tough stuff. You have to be diligent and intentional in coaching Tua. ‘Hey, your job is to be a father and communicate daily.’

“We will conduct daily evaluations with experts in this field and deal with that, and that’s all that matters.”

McDaniel also quickly denied questions about whether Tagovailoa is considering retirement.

“I think it would be so wrong of me to even touch that subject,” McDaniel responded. “You’re talking about his career, right? His career is his.”

“The most important person in this whole equation is Tua,” McDaniel later said.
“His opinions and what he wants to do with his life and his career, along with the experts in neuroscience, are the driving forces behind those actions.”

“I’m incredibly motivated to do the right thing for the person we’re talking about,” McDaniel added. “That’s not necessarily an ideal way to do business, but this is more than just business.”

As for the Dolphins’ future, McDaniel said the team continues to prepare Thompson to start in Week 3, but added that the team is also looking to add an additional quarterback to the roster.

“The team and the organization has a lot of confidence in Skylar,” McDaniel said. “There was a reason he was our backup quarterback.”

The 41-year-old McDaniel was hired by the Dolphins for the 2022 NFL season. He has a 21-15 record and has led Miami to the playoffs the past two seasons.

McDaniel has had his fair share of trouble as the Dolphins’ leader, with star forward Tyreek Hill being pulled over by police last week just before the team’s season opener.

The Dolphins play again on September 22, when the team travels to Seattle to take on the Seahawks.