The 2-4 Miami Dolphins got a much-needed shot in the arm when quarterback Tua Tagovailoa returned to practice Wednesday after the latest concussion of his physically taxing career.
Perhaps no one was more excited than wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who admittedly struggled to wipe the smile off his face.
“I just had a big cheese on my face,” Hill said. “It just felt so good.”
Tagovailoa practiced Wednesday for the first time since suffering a concussion in Week 2, and the Dolphins are aiming for him to start Sunday against Arizona.
‘He looked great. It felt like old times,” Hill told reporters. “Me and him made some deep shots together today, and that made me feel good today. I missed that and I missed him. I told him I had to take him and his wife out to dinner because I missed him so much.
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) aims for the ball during Wednesday’s practice
Perhaps no one was more excited than wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who admittedly struggled to wipe the smile off his face when Tagovailoa returned to Dolphins practice on Wednesday.
‘S*** was so beautiful, that s*** almost made me cry today, like I just had him in the lineup, let him call the plays, let him lead the offense, like I just had his voice heard,” Hill added.
Tagovailoa still has to go through the final stages of the NFL’s concussion protocol for that, but he got one step closer by returning to the practice field.
“I feel really good about the way he handled this whole process and how he’s come out of it to this day,” coach Mike McDaniel said before Wednesday’s practice. “And you hope for a few days of good work so that you don’t have any blips anymore and you’re ready 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 September 12. The experts deemed it safe for him to return to football, McDaniel said Monday.
Tagovailoa said he would not wear a Guardian Cap — the protective softshell helmet cover that players can optionally 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 knocked him unconscious — and suffered a third hard blow to the head that was not diagnosed as a concussion.
Despite his recent concussion, Tua Tagovailoa said he wouldn’t wear a Guardian cap — the protective softshell helmet Tyreek Hill wore in practice.
The fifth-year quarterback pointed to those hits, which sparked widespread debate about his health and led to changes in 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 the death, that’s it.”
Tagovailoa didn’t indicate that this latest concussion would completely change the way he approaches the game, but he said he has to “be smart.”
“I’ve been a competitor my entire time playing football,” Tagovailoa said, “and that’s (or was) kind of my advantage if I walked away from high school, even in college I’d do the same thing. But it is a professional setting; this is the professional level, the best of the best, you just can’t do that.’
Tagovailoa’s concussion in Week 2 came when he made contact with Buffalo Bills defenseman Damar Hamlin by sinking his shoulder into Hamlin instead of sliding. His teammates said they have since stressed to him about sliding in such situations.
“We can say those things to him until we’re blue in the face,” running back Raheem Mostert said. “But one thing I would say: I always say, ‘You can take a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.’ We’re going to take Tua to that water, but we can’t let him drink.”
Miami Dolphins tight end Durham Smythe (81) runs drills during a practice session
Hill mentioned a point during last Sunday’s game in Indianapolis, when fans cheered as they saw quarterback Anthony Richardson slide instead of making unnecessary contact.
“I said our fans need to clap for Tua and let him slide,” Hill said. “We need you, brother. Next time play, come on. It’s real, and we love him. From brother to brother, we love him. Like he’s a big part of this team.”
Tagovailoa put on weight last season to better withstand the hits he takes on the field. He didn’t miss a game due to injuries in 2023 for the first time in his career, but lost a few pounds this season to help with his mobility.
McDaniel detailed the balance sheet.
“It doesn’t really seem like a thought process of a quarterback game,” McDaniel said. “But for him, I think one of the reasons he’s been so diligent and deliberate this time with excessive running and staying in shape to maintain what he feels – and I think I agree with that – is a competitive advantage for his game , is being able to move his body in the best way that allows him to make the plays he can make. I wouldn’t say things would change that much schematically.”
The Dolphins averaged more than 200 yards passing last season and 400 yards per game overall with Tagovailoa. 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. performs exercises during training on Wednesday
Under Skylar Thompson, Tyler “Snoop” Huntley and Tim Boyle, Miami hasn’t scored more than 15 points, and Hill and Jaylen Waddle have seen significant drops in their production with Tagovailoa out, including a combined 19 yards on two catches in the loss of Sunday. to the Colts.
McDaniel said Tagovailoa should not be viewed as the “savior” of Miami’s offensive struggles. Hill disagreed.
“He’s a big part of this team,” Hill said. ‘I keep saying that. Every man in this locker room knows that. And if we’re going to play a game, obviously it’s the next guy. That’s the mentality all day long. But if Tua is part of this offense, (nobody) 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 has started the past three games, is not expected to be available on Sunday due to a shoulder injury. McDaniel said he would wait to see how Beathard, Boyle and Thompson perform in practice before deciding on a backup.