Tua Tagovailoa cleared to do ‘normal activities, just not football’

Tua Tagovailoa remains on injured reserve, but signs still point to him being available later in the 2024 season. Miami’s franchise quarterback has been with the team while recovering from his latest concussion, while the Dolphins do not appear to be seeking out further additions under center.

Skylar Thompson served as the starting quarterback in Week 3, a game in which the Dolphins were beaten handily by the Seahawks. Tagovailoa traveled with the team for that cross-country contest, and NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero noted on a “Rich Eisen Show” appearance Tagovailoa has received clearance to perform “all your normal activities, just not football.” That is a positive sign of his progress while the 26-year-old attempts to return to action.

Miami quickly made a move in the wake of Tagovailoa’s Week 2 concussion, signing Tyler Huntley off the Ravens’ practice squad. The former UDFA eyed a Dolphins agreement once Tagovailoa went down, and he could get the nod for Week 4 as Thompson deals with a rib injury. Huntley, Thompson and Tim Boyle represent Miami’s options as things stand, and Pelissero confirms no contact has been made with the Broncos or Steelers to gauge the availability of Zach Wilson or Russell Wilson.

With the Dolphins remaining confident in their incumbent signal-callers for the time being, attention will remain focused on Tagovailoa’s recovery timeline. Last year’s passing leader cannot be activated until at least Week 8, and the team’s decision to move him to IR is a sign of the cautious approach being taken with him. If Tagovailoa manages to avoid setbacks with respect to concussion symptoms over the coming weeks, he will be positioned to resume practicing ahead of a return to the playing field.

With Miami sitting at 1-2 on the year, it remains to be seen if the team will be in contention for a postseason berth by the time Tagovailoa is available to be activated. His recovery process seems to be in a good place for the time being, however, which is an encouraging development for team and player.