Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa expected to return in 2024, coach Mike McDaniel says

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel expects quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to play again this season, he said Monday. Tagovailoa has not played since suffering a concussion against the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 12.

“I do expect to see him playing football in 2024,” McDaniel said. “But where that is, exactly — we’ll let the process continue, since we still have time before he can even entertain anything. We’ll make sure that he’s diligent this week and assess after that.”

The Dolphins placed Tagovailoa on injured reserve on Sept. 17, which means he must miss a minimum of four games. The earliest he will be available to return is on Oct. 27, when Miami faces the Arizona Cardinals.

Tagovailoa must also clear the NFL’s concussion protocol before he is eligible to play, a process that begins only after he’s activated from IR.

The concussion Tagovailoa sustained against the Bills is at least the third of his professional career. He suffered two during the 2022 season, which caused him to miss four regular season games plus the Dolphins’ lone playoff game. Tagovailoa was also suspected of having a third concussion that season, a controversy that led to an overhaul of the NFL’s concussion protocol.

Miami has a 1-2 record in Tagovailoa’s absence, and the offense has struggled without him. After the Dolphins led the NFL with 265.5 yards passing per game last season, they are eighth-worst this season with only 185.6 yards per game.

Miami, which is 2-3 overall, next plays on Oct. 20 against the Indianapolis Colts.