Tua Tagovailoa is nearing a return.
The Miami Dolphins quarterback has been cleared by medical experts to practice Wednesday, head coach Mike McDaniel said Monday. If that goes well, Tagovailoa is planning to start for the Dolphins on Sunday.
Tagovailoa was hurt on Sept. 13 when he collided with Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin on a scramble. He has a history of concussions, having been diagnosed with two such injuries in 2022.
After McDaniel's announcement, Tagovailoa spoke to the media about his potential comeback. He claimed to have been symptom-free since the day after his concussion diagnosis and that he won't wear a guardian cap in his return out of personal preference.
Since Tagovailoa's injury, the Dolphins have struggled to get consistent quarterback play. Skylar Thompson replaced him initially before injuring his ribs, then Tyler Huntley went 1-1 before getting hurt and replaced by Tim Boyle in Sunday's loss to the Indianapolis Colts. The Dolphins are 2-4 and scored just 40 points in the four games without Tagovailoa.
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Despite their subpar record, the Dolphins are still in the hunt for the AFC postseason. Miami is just one loss behind the current No. 7 seed Colts, and Tagovailoa's return would seemingly give them an instant boost on offense.
The Arizona Cardinals will visit South Florida on Sunday for Week 8, with the Dolphins' starting QB still to be determined.
