Is Tua Tagovailoa retiring? NFL insider drops update on Dolphins QB's plans
"Is Tua Tagovailoa retiring?" was the question on everyone's lips after the Miami Dolphins quarterback suffered yet another concussion during Week 2's Thursday Night Football matchup with the Buffalo Bills.
Tagovailoa exited the game late in the fourth quarter after a hard albeit legal hit from Damar Hamlin. Backup Skylar Thompson took over in his stead.
The Dolphins committed $212.4 million to Tua Tagovailoa, but with a fourth diagnosed concussion in five years going back to his days with Alabama, fans and NFL personalities urged Tagovailoa to consider retirement. However, NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported on Sunday morning that the Dolphins quarterback has no plans to retire.
"He has already begun seeing concussion specialists and will continue to do so," Rapoport reported. "There is no timeline to return. Tua will be back when he and his doctors deem him healthy and ready."
Dolphins looking at options after Tua Tagovailoa's latest injury
Coach Mike McDaniel told reporters that the franchise is looking to bring a quarterback on board, as Tagovailoa is likely to face a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Currently, Skylar Thompson is the backup on the Dolphins depth chart. The list of free-agent QBs isn't exactly encouraging at this time of year. Ryan Tannehill is the biggest name on the list, with the likes of Bailey Zappe and Tyler Huntley also available.
The Dolphins could also consider a trade. Trey Lance and Mac Jones could potentially be options, but, at this time, there are no reports of the Dolphins reaching out to either quarterback.
What Dolphins' upcoming schedule looks like
The Dolphins face the Seattle Seahawks later today at Lumen Field for a 4:05 p.m. kickoff. They then face the Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots before settling in for a bye week in Week 6.
The Dolphins will likely be without Tua Tagovailoa for all of the above-mentioned games. He will have to first clear the NFL's five-stage concussion protocol before having any chance of returning to the field.