It's official: Tua Tagovailoa is back. More than a month after he suffered his third documented concussion in two years, the Miami Dolphins quarterback has cleared the NFL's concussion protocol, and will be activated from injured reserve to start against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, the Dolphins announced Friday.
The embattled signal-caller returned to practice Wednesday, making his first on-field appearance for the team since exiting Miami's Week 2 loss to the Buffalo Bills, and received clearance from an independent neurological consultant after Thursday's session. Not a single doctor who spoke with Tagovailoa during his recovery process "recommended he retire from the game," according to ESPN, despite other medical experts indicating immediately following the quarterback's latest head injury that he should consider it.
Tagovailoa, who's missed Miami's last four games while on injured reserve, also missed four games in 2022 after suffering multiple concussions. He admitted after that season he'd weighed retirement, but strongly denied re-entertaining the possibility when addressing reporters this week.
"I appreciate your concern," Tagovailoa said. "[But] I love this game and I love it to the death of me."
The Pro Bowler also informed reporters this week that he will not wear a Guardian Cap, the soft-shell helmet covering designed to reduce concussions, upon his return, calling the decision a "personal choice." He will, however, wear a VICIS ZERO2 MATRIX ID quarterback helmet, which is graded higher in terms of protection than other helmet models, even factoring in the use of a Guardian Cap, according to ESPN.
