Dolphins will bring in another quarterback, while Tagovailoa deals with concussion

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Miami Dolphins will bring in another quarterback while starter Tua Tagovailoa deals with his latest concussion, and coach Mike McDaniel insisted Friday that the only thing that should matter to him — or anyone — is Tagovailoa's health.

For the short term at least, Skylar Thompson will be considered the Dolphins' starter while Tagovailoa is sidelined. Tagovailoa left Thursday night's 31-10 loss to Buffalo in the third quarter with the third known concussion of his NFL career, all of them coming in the last 24 months.

''The team and the organization are very confident in Skylar,'' McDaniel said.

McDaniel said the team has not made any decision about whether to place Tagovailoa on injured reserve. Tagovailoa was at the team facility Friday, as expected and as McDaniel said would be the case, to start the process of being evaluated in earnest.

How long that process takes is one of the countless unknowns right now.

''The people that matter most, and their opinions, are Tua, the doctors and the experts,'' McDaniel said.

McDaniel and Tagovailoa have expressed often over their time together that their relationship is close. And McDaniel tried to make clear multiple times Friday that his top priority is Tagovailoa's well-being — not when he plays again.

There are a slew of veteran quarterbacks available for the Dolphins to consider, including Jimmy Garoppolo and former Miami starter Ryan Tannehill. The Dolphins have not revealed any players who are under consideration, and — despite plenty of former players suggesting it may be time for Tagovailoa to consider his long-term health — McDaniel said it would be ''so wrong'' for him to even think about weighing in on whether the quarterback should play again.

''I wish people would for a second hear what I'm saying, that bringing up his future is not in the best interest of him,'' McDaniel said. "So, I'm going to plead with everybody that does genuinely care — that should be the last thing on your mind.''

Concerns and opinions from around the football world were coming nonstop Friday, from former Alabama coach Nick Saban — Tagovailoa's college coach — urging the quarterback and his family to proceed with caution, to Las Vegas Raiders coach Antonio Pierce saying he would tell Tagovailoa to stop playing the game.

''I'll be honest: I'd just tell him to retire," Pierce said.

All that seems certain: McDaniel doesn't envision Tagovailoa playing in Miami's next game at Seattle on Sept. 22.

Players from both teams motioned that Tagovailoa was hurt after that play, and as he lay on the turf the quarterback exhibited some signs — certain arm movements, for example — typically associated with a traumatic brain injury. He remained down on the field for a couple of minutes, got to his feet and walked to the sideline after the play in the third quarter.

McDaniel gave his quarterback a kiss on the side of the head as he left the field Thursday. McDaniel revealed Friday that, in that moment, he was telling Tagovailoa to focus on what matters most — his health and his family.

''All I'm telling Tua is everyone is counting on you to be a dad and be a dad this weekend," McDaniel said. ''And then we'll move from there.''

There are five steps, as mandated by the NFL concussion protocol, that Tagovailoa will have to clear before he can return to the field. That process can take days or even weeks.

Tagovailoa was 17 for 25 passing for 145 yards, with one touchdown and three interceptions — one of which was returned for a Buffalo score — when he got hurt. Thompson completed eight of 14 passes for 80 yards.

Thompson said he feels ''fully equipped'' to run the Dolphins' offense.

''What's going to lie ahead, who knows, but man, I'm confident, though,'' Thompson said after Thursday's game. ''I feel like I'm ready for whatever's to come. I'm going to prepare and work hard and do everything I can to lead this team and do my job.''

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