The Miami Dolphins (2-4) got a much-needed shot in the arm with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s return to practice Wednesday following the latest concussion of his grueling career.
Perhaps no one was more excited than wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who certainly had a hard time wiping the smile off his face.
“I just had a big cheese on my face,” Hill said. “It felt so good.”
Tagovailoa practiced Wednesday for the first time since suffering a concussion in Week 2, and the Dolphins are targeting him to start Sunday against Arizona.
‘It looked great. It felt like old times,” Hill told reporters. “He and I hit some deep shots today, and that made me feel good today. I missed that and I missed him. I told him I had to take him to it now.” his wife to dinner because she missed him so much.
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) points the ball during Wednesday’s practice
Perhaps no one was more excited than wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who admitted he had trouble wiping the smile off his face when Tagovailoa returned to Dolphins practice on Wednesday.
“The shit was so beautiful, that shit almost made me cry today, like just having him in the lineup, calling the plays, running the offense, like just hearing his voice,” Hill added.
Tagovailoa still needs to progress through the final stages of the NFL’s concussion protocol for that to happen, but he took another step by returning to the practice field.
“I feel really good about how he approached this whole process and how he moved forward to this day,” coach Mike McDaniel said before Wednesday’s practice. “And you wait for a couple of days of good work and then you don’t have any problems and you’re cleared to play.”
Tagovailoa has met with numerous medical experts who specialize in brain and head injuries since being diagnosed with the third concussion of his NFL career on Sept. 12. Experts deemed it safe for him to return to football, McDaniel said Monday.
Tagovailoa said he would not wear a Guardian Cap, the protective soft helmet cover that is optional for players to wear in games, saying it is a “personal choice.” Tagovailoa already wears a quarterback-specific helmet designed to help reduce head injuries.
Tagovailoa suffered two concussions in 2022, the last of which briefly left him unconscious, and he suffered a third hard blow to the head that was not diagnosed as a concussion.
Despite his recent concussion, Tua Tagovailoa said he would not wear a Guardian cap, the soft-shell protective helmet Tyreek Hill wore in practice.
The fifth-year quarterback pointed to those hits, which sparked widespread debates about his health and led to changes to the NFL’s concussion protocol, as the reason for continued conversations about whether he should continue playing football.
“I appreciate your concern, I really do,” Tagovailoa said. “I love this game, and I love it to death, that’s all.”
Tagovailoa didn’t indicate that this latest concussion would completely change his approach to the game, but said he has to “be smart.”
“The whole time I played football I’ve been a competitor,” Tagovailoa said, “and that is, or was, my advantage when I ran since high school, even in college I did the same thing.” But it is a professional environment; “This is the professional level, the best of the best, you just can’t be doing that.”
Tagovailoa’s concussion in Week 2 occurred when he initiated contact with Buffalo Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin, lowering his shoulder toward Hamlin instead of sliding. His teammates said they have been urging him to slide in those situations ever since.
“We can tell him those things until we’re blue in the face,” running back Raheem Mostert said. “But one thing I would say is that there’s always the saying, ‘You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.’ We’re going to lead Tua to that water, but we can’t make it drink.
Miami Dolphins tight end Durham Smythe (81) drills during a practice session
Hill mentioned a moment in last Sunday’s game in Indianapolis when fans applauded seeing quarterback Anthony Richardson slide instead of taking unnecessary contact.
“I said our fans should cheer for Tua and make him slide,” Hill said. ‘We need you, brother. Next play, let’s go. It’s real and we love it. From brother to brother, we love him. Like he’s a big part of this team.”
Tagovailoa gained weight last season to better withstand the hits he receives on the field. He didn’t miss a game due to injuries in 2023 for the first time in his career, but he lost a few pounds this offseason to help with his mobility.
McDaniel detailed the balance.
“It’s not really like a quarterback run game type of thought process,” McDaniel said. “But for him, I think one of the reasons why this time he was so diligent and deliberate in running excessively and staying in shape to maintain what he feels, and I think he would agree, is a competitive advantage to his game, is being able to move his body in the best way that allows him to make the plays that he is capable of making. I wouldn’t say that from a schematic point of view things would change that much.’
The Dolphins averaged over 200 passing yards and 400 total yards per game under Tagovailoa last season. They were second in scoring with 29.2 points and led the league in explosive plays of at least 10 yards.
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. goes through drills during Wednesday’s practice
With Skylar Thompson, Tyler ‘Snoop’ Huntley and Tim Boyle, Miami hasn’t scored more than 15 points, and Hill and Jaylen Waddle have seen a significant drop in production with Tagovailoa out, including a combined 19 yards on two receptions in the loss of the Sunday. to the Colts.
McDaniel said Tagovailoa shouldn’t be considered the “savior” of Miami’s offensive woes. Hill disagreed.
“He’s a big part of this team,” Hill said. ‘I’m going to keep saying that. All the guys in this locker room know it. And obviously, when we go to play a game, it’s the next one. That’s the mentality all day. But when Tua is part of this offense, (no one can) stop us.”
The Dolphins signed veteran quarterback CJ Beathard to their practice squad on Wednesday, along with wide receiver Tarik Black, and released tight end Hayden Rucci from the practice squad. Huntley, who started the last three games, is not expected to be available Sunday due to a shoulder injury. McDaniel said he would wait and see how Beathard, Boyle and Thompson perform in practice before deciding on a backup.