Miami Dolphins quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa and Teddy Bridgewater cleared the NFL’s concussion protocol on Saturday morning, according to a league source.
Tagovailoa, returning from a concussion suffered in the team’s Sept. 29 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, is still being held out of Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings as an extra precaution.
Bridgewater, who was never diagnosed with a concussion but still had to go through protocol as if he had one, is available to back up rookie third-string quarterback Skylar Thompson, who will make his first NFL start against the Vikings at Hard Rock Stadium.
Tagovailoa is on track to return to action for the Oct. 23 Sunday night home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers and ex-Dolphins coach Brian Flores, who is a senior defensive assistant/linebackers coach with Pittsburgh.
Both Tagovailoa and Bridgewater increased their practice participation Friday to “full” on the team’s injury report after being limited previously. Tagovailoa got to the stage of limited participation Wednesday, while Bridgewater, entering protocol more recently, had to be restricted to aerobic work on the side of practice Wednesday before joining the team and throwing Thursday.
Tagovailoa went through two blows to the head in five days in September. Before exiting the loss to the Bengals on a stretcher following a sack from Cincinnati defensive tackle Josh Tupou, he also had his head hit the ground from the whiplash of a fall when he was pushed to ground after a pass in the Sept. 25 win over the Buffalo Bills by linebacker Matt Milano.
Tagovailoa appeared woozy afterward, reaching for his helmet, shaking off the cobwebs and stumbling once he tried to get up. Nonetheless, Tagovailoa was cleared to return for the second half of that victory at Hard Rock Stadium and then to play the ensuing Thursday night in Cincinnati.
In the meantime, Tagovailoa’s clearance was being investigated by the NFL Players Association. While the league and union determined protocol was properly followed, it was not the intention of the league’s concussion policies.
A revision was made on Oct. 8, emphasizing signs of ataxia or gross motor instability as “no-go” symptoms that immediately disqualified a player.
Bridgewater was said by a spotter in last Sunday’s loss to the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium to have exhibited a stumble at some point, although no cameras ever caught the instance. Because he was ruled out of the game under the enhanced protocol, he had to go through the week as if he was coming back from a concussion, significantly limiting what he could do in practice on Wednesday and Thursday.
This story will be updated.
()
Source: Berkshire mont
Be First to Comment