MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is “unlikely” to play in Sunday’s common season finale in opposition to the New York Jets, coach Mike McDaniel stated Friday.
Backup quarterback Tyler “Snoop” Huntley is predicted to make his fifth begin of the season in Tagovailoa’s place.
Tagovailoa missed final week’s win over the Cleveland Browns with a hip damage that he initially suffered in Week 15 in opposition to the Houston Texans. He performed via it the next week, however aggravated the damage in Miami’s win over the San Francisco 49ers in Week 16. It was deemed “not protected in any respect” for him to play in opposition to Cleveland.
McDaniel didn’t decide to Tagovailoa having the ability to play subsequent week if the Dolphins had been to clinch a playoff berth, however he confirmed that the hip damage was not a bone or a bruising subject.
“I feel Tua needs it was only a ache subject,” McDaniel stated. “It’s fairly actually having the ability to have the energy to do what we ask him to do, in addition to defending himself from very severe damage if we do not deal with it appropriately. I would not say it is a bruise, nevertheless it’s form of a singular muscle subject on account of the hip.
“It’s been extra of constant check-ins to see how far it is gone, and whether or not or not it is fairly actually protected to play soccer in a accountable vogue.”
Tagovailoa stated that he shall be accessible if the Dolphins make the playoffs subsequent week, however referred to as his damage “irritating.”
“Yeah, if the playing cards play out the way in which they need to and the way in which we all know and assume they will, I’m going to be accessible subsequent week,” Tagovailoa stated. “No, ifs, ands or buts.”
This would mark the sixth common season sport Tagovailoa has missed this season — probably the most in his five-year NFL profession — after he performed in all 18 of the workforce’s video games in 2023. Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212.1 million extension with the Dolphins in July after a drawn-out negotiation that spanned many of the offseason.
Tagovailoa acknowledged that the variety of video games he is missed is a matter.
“I feel the most important factor, and it has been my factor since final 12 months — clearly the concussions have been a factor after which simply off of that, different accidents which have stacked up with the concussions to the place I’m lacking video games … it’s irritating,” he stated.
“That’s one thing to consider this offseason, that is one thing to speak with the coaches and primarily it simply falls on my plate, simply defending myself higher and issues that I already know.”
Huntley is in his first season with the Dolphins and made three begins earlier this season whereas Tagovailoa was on injured reserve with a concussion. He received a kind of begins, finishing 59% of his passes for 377 yards, one landing and one interception, with one other 67 yards and a landing on the bottom. However, these begins got here inside roughly a month of signing with the workforce from the Baltimore Ravens’ observe squad.
In his fourth begin of the season final week, Huntley appeared dramatically improved, finishing 84.6% of his passes for 225 yards and landing, with 52 yards and a landing on the bottom. The reward he drew from teammates and coaches after his efficiency, he stated, has stayed with him transferring ahead.
“It positively helps with my confidence, and I do know it performs much more for our workforce simply understanding with out the primary man, me having the ability to step in and simply have the ability to do what I used to be capable of do, I do know it gave this workforce sufficient confidence to have the ability to go on the market this weekend and go deal with the sport,” Huntley stated.
Sunday’s sport is vital for the Dolphins, who will clinch a 3rd straight playoff berth with a win, and a Denver Broncos loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
