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MIAMI Dolphins star Tua Tagovailoa has given an update about the status of his playing future.
The 2023 NFL Pro Bowl quarterback, 26, suffered his fourth head injury of his career in the team’s Week 2 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
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Tagovailoa has been on Injured Reserve for more than a month as there have been calls for him to retire, with many concerned over his long-term health.
However, ESPN’s Adam Schefter confirmed that Tagovailoa won’t leave the game of football and expects to play in 2024.
The NFL has approved his return from injury and the Alabama product has gotten the thumbs-up from doctors to get back to work.
“Tua Tagovailoa does expect to play against this season. He has consulted with doctors and he believes he is okay to continue and NFL career that many people were calling for him to walk away from,” Schefter said during ESPN’s pregame coverage of the Week 6 edition of Monday Night Football.
The ESPN insider then shared more info about Tagovailoa’s recent path to being given the clearance to play in the NFL soon.
“He has been visiting neurologists. He’s been to Pittsburgh. People wanted him to retire, but that’s not the way that he has thought,” Schefter said.
The NFL reporter added that Tagovailoa is eligible to be activated from IR after this weekend’s Dolphins’ Week 7 game versus the Indianapolis Colts.
Tagovailoa can play in Week 8 and Schefter finished his report by saying that he’s getting the feeling “Tua will be back on the field sooner rather than later.”
Last week, ESPN analyst and college football icon Nick Saban discussed Tagovailoa’s situation.
The Alabama Crimson Tide legend coached Tagovailoa and the two have spoken to each other recently.
“I talked to Tua. He really wants to play,” said Saban on College GameDay.
“Whether he ever can play or get the opportunity to do it again, I guess that’s a medical decision somebody has to make.
“He seemed to be good. I talked to him right afterwards.
“You know, he’s good.
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“He’s always positive and, you know, very enthusiastic.”
The Dolphins are 2-3 and are coming off a Week 6 bye.
Miami head coach Mike McDaniel expects Tagovailoa to play this season.
“I do expect to see him playing football in 2024,” McDaniel told reporters Monday.
“But where that is, exactly — we’ll let the process continue since we still have time before he can even entertain anything.”
Tagovailoa posted 29 passing touchdowns and 14 interceptions last season.
The Dolphins are expected to start Tyler Huntley in the Week 7 contest versus the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.
