NFL

Dolphins HC McDaniel confirms Tagovailoa is preparing to start in Week 7

By Sports Desk October 17, 2022

The Miami Dolphins are preparing to have Tua Tagovailoa return as the team’s starting quarterback for their Week 7 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, head coach Mike McDaniel told reporters Monday.  

Tagovailoa resumed football activities last week and cleared concussion protocols on Saturday, but remained inactive during Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings.  

"The plan is for him to approach the game as the starter," McDaniel said. “He'll be able to get those reps on Wednesday… we felt really good about how he was able to get back on the field."

Tagovailoa last had a full week of practice in Week 3 and has been inactive since being carted off the field with a concussion on September 29.  

The Dolphins jumped out to a 3-0 start this season, and their third-year quarterback appeared on his way to a career year. Miami is 0-3 since, and McDaniel is hoping that having Tagovailoa under center again will help the team find its way back in the win column.  

"He's a captain. He's a captain for a reason, and as I've told you guys from the onset, I think he's a very, very good player at that position," McDaniel said. "So very good players, they definitely give people a boost – not because of what other people aren't but more just because he is who he is.  

"So he's a strong fabric of this team, and that's exciting when you get to go play with one of your brothers, which is why the team will be excited, and it will be exciting." 

Tagovailoa’s first injury of the season came on September 25 when he took a hit from Buffalo Bills linebacker Matt Milano and appeared to hit his head on the ground. He stumbled when he got up and was immediately taken to the locker room to be evaluated for a concussion.  

He returned to the game shortly thereafter and was not in the concussion protocol the following week, despite questions about why he was allowed to return to the game after displaying motor impairment.   

Just four days later, Tagovailoa was slammed to the turf by Cincinnati Bengals lineman Josh Tupou in a startling scene that has left many to question the NFL's efforts to minimize head and neck injuries, and led to the league altering their concussion protocol to prevent a similar situation from happening again.

Both injuries occurred after Tagovailoa extended plays outside the pocket.

"There's risks in this game and you've got to be able to control the controllables," McDaniel said. "One thing for him is you love his competitive nature, but there is a time in a play where you have to kind of concede, and that's where he's kind of been focusing on because it's something that's not natural to him.

"He wants to break every tackle, and he doesn't like when plays don't work. Well, sometimes they won't. 

"So that's something that he's mindful of, and I think that that's a consistency of all the really great quarterbacks that you think of, the guys that you look up to, the guys that kind of set forth the example of how to play the position, they do find ways to be available.

"Part of that is that concession, but that is – all things considered, that's probably a good problem to have in terms of a competitor. You just need to be able to understand your importance to the team and how sometimes the best play you can make is a throwaway."

Related items

  • Elliott targets Super Bowl after sealing dream return to Dallas Elliott targets Super Bowl after sealing dream return to Dallas

    Ezekiel Elliott is eyeing a Super Bowl run after rejoining the Dallas Cowboys, saying a return to the franchise where he started his NFL career had dominated his thoughts for the last year.

    On Monday, the Cowboys struck a deal to bring Elliott back to Dallas after one season with the New England Patriots.

    The Cowboys took Elliott fourth overall in the 2016 NFL Draft out of Ohio State, and he led the league for rushing yards both as a rookie (1,631 yards) and again in 2018 (1,434).

    The three-time Pro Bowl running back was less impressive in his last three years with the franchise before being released, spending 2023 with the Patriots as they went 4-13 in Bill Belichick's final campaign at the helm. 

    Dallas have moved to bring him back to AT&T Stadium after losing Tony Pollard to the Tennessee Titans in March, and he can't wait to get started again.

    "It feels great to be home," Elliott said. "I definitely missed being here. 

    "I missed this building. I missed the Cowboys nation. I'm definitely excited and ready to get this thing going."

    Speaking to The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Elliott said he was always keen on coming back, adding: "This was my priority, doing what I could do to get back here. 

    "I have a lot left to accomplish here. I'm excited to get back with the fellas and chase that ring.

    "From 2016, we've been working on building this franchise to get a chance to win the Super Bowl. That is obviously the priority. That's the bar."

    Asked what he had learned in New England, Elliott said: "Just showing I can be a starter in this league. I can still play at a high level, not just when running with the ball but also protecting the quarterback and catching the ball out of the backfield.

    "Being in this league for as long as I have been, and being comfortable with who I am, and having as many reps as I have, I can focus on bringing other guys along and help them find their way.

    "There's a lot of skilled guys and guys with a lot of different talents in our RB room. It'll be exciting to work with them, to push each other and help each other become better football players." 

    Elliott ran for 642 yards and three touchdowns in 17 games with New England last season. He ranks third in Dallas franchise history for rushing yards (8,262), behind Emmitt Smith (17,162) and Tony Dorsett (12,036). 

  • Star NFL tight end Kelce reportedly agrees to two-year extension with Chiefs Star NFL tight end Kelce reportedly agrees to two-year extension with Chiefs

    Travis Kelce has been instrumental to the Chiefs' success over the past few seasons and will remain in Kansas City for the next few seasons.

    The four-time All-Pro tight end and the Chiefs have agreed to a two-year contract extension, according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport.

    Terms of the extension were not disclosed, but Rapoport reported Monday that the deal will make him the NFL's highest-paid tight end.

    Kelce is currently under contract through 2025, so the new deal will keep him in Kansas City through 2027 after his age-37 season.

     

    The 34-year-old Kelce is Kansas City's all-time leader in receiving yards with 11,328 yards, while ranking second in receptions (907) and second in receiving touchdowns (74). He is just 10 catches away from passing Tony Gonzalez as the franchise's all-time leader in receptions and three TD catches away from surpassing Gonzalez's record in that category.

    A third-round pick by the Chiefs in 2013, Kelce saw his NFL record streak for a tight end of consecutive seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards end at seven in 2023, when he finished with a team-high 984 yards. His 93 receptions were also the most on the Chiefs, and he had five touchdown grabs.

    It may have been a down season by his standards, but he was still named to his ninth Pro Bowl team and once again produced in the play-offs.

    In helping Kansas City defend its Super Bowl title and secure its third Lombardi Trophy in the last five seasons, Kelce caught 32 passes for 355 yards with three touchdowns in four play-off games. In the Chiefs' 25-22 overtime win over the San Francisco 49ers in February's Super Bowl, Kelce had nine receptions for 93 yards,

    In addition to being one of the most prolific tight ends in NFL history and a core member of the Chiefs' recent dynasty, Kelce has gained enormous popularity in the last year due to his relationship to pop icon Taylor Swift.

  • Three-time Pro Bowl running back Elliott rejoining Cowboys Three-time Pro Bowl running back Elliott rejoining Cowboys

    The Dallas Cowboys are bringing back two-time NFL rushing champion Ezekiel Elliott after the sides agreed to terms on a deal Monday.

    Dallas selected Elliott with the fourth overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft out of Ohio State, and he won the NFL rushing title as a rookie (1,631 yards) and again in 2018 (1,434).

    After a contract holdout prior to the 2019 campaign, Elliott landed a $90million, six-year extension and wound up rushing for 1,357 yards that season.

    He only surpassed 1,000 yards on the ground once from 2020-22 before being released in March 2023 and signing a one-year contract with the New England Patriots.

    Elliott ranks third in Dallas franchise history with 8,262 rushing yards behind all-time NFL rushing leader Emmitt Smith (17,162) and Tony Dorsett (12,036).

    He is also third in team history with 68 rushing touchdowns behind Pro Football Hall of Famers Smith (153) and Dorsett (72).

    Elliott, who will turn 29 years old in July, ran for 642 yards and three touchdowns in 17 games with New England last season.

    Tony Pollard led Dallas in 2023 with 1,005 rushing yards before signing with the Tennessee Titans in March.

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.