Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is expected to play next week after completed the NFL 's concussion protocol, and he even exceeded normal expectations.
Tagovailoa flew to Detroit and Pittsburgh to meet with specialists, which isn't a requirement for the standard procedure. Now, the Dolphins star has been cleared, and is expected to play next week against the Pittsburgh Steelers, although he is still expected to miss Sunday's clash against the Minnesota Vikings.
The quarterback suffered no setbacks during his progress through the concussion protocol according to the NFL, and the player can now focus on football after completing all appointments. It's been 16 days since his brutal concussion against the Cincinnati Bengals, which came off the back of another blow just four days prior.
Tagovailoa returned to training for the first time on Wednesday, but head coach Mike McDaniels initially said that it was unlikely that his quarterback would feature on the weekend. Developments mean he is ready to start next week, so will have to sit out for one more game.
Many were concerned about Tagovailoa's health following the series of concussions, and the quarterback has reportedly seen four top specialists in the build-up to his return. Though his return is a major boost to the Dolphins, who are still holding on to a positive record, Tagovailoa's situation has been alarming for multiple health professionals.
One top specialist, Dr Bennet Omalu, has even called for Tagovailoa to retire at the age of 24 as a result of his worrying head injuries. Dr Omalu, the first doctor to discover and publish findings on chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in American Football players, called for the Dolphins star to walk away from the sport.
Speaking to TMZ Sports, he said: "If you love your life, if you love your family, you love your kids -- if you have kids -- it's time to gallantly walk away. Go find something else to do."
But Tagovailoa will return, and he will be hoping that reserve quarterback Skylar Thompson can keep their positive record intact. Terry Bridgewater also suffered a concussion, meaning that the Dolphins went from three quarterbacks to one in the space of a week.
They've not won with Tagovailoa out of the side, but Bridgewater will be able to play this Sunday, unlike his counter-part. Although Bridgewater is seen as the no.2, it appears that McDaniels is set to run with Thompson this week, after having more time to work with him in practice.
McDaniel is likely to have centred practice this week around Thompson's skills, meaning that a change now could undo all their preparation. But Tagovailoa will be back in the hot seat next week.
The Dolphins are currently 3-1 after a stunning start, that saw them beat the Buffalo Bills 21-19 in week three. But due to obvious reasons they've since dropped off, but they'll be keen to bounce back.
