Dolphins place Tua Tagovailoa on injured reserve after latest concussion

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins placed Tua Tagovailoa on injured reserve Tuesday after the quarterback was diagnosed with his third concussion in two years.

Tagovailoa will be sidelined for at least four games. He will be eligible to return in Week 8 when the Dolphins host Arizona, but has to complete a series of tests and assessments required by the NFL's concussion protocol before he can return to the field.

Tagovailoa was hurt last Thursday night when he collided with Buffalo defensive back Damar Hamlin. He ran for a first down and then initiated the contact by lowering his shoulder into Hamlin instead of sliding.

Players from both teams immediately motioned that Tagovailoa was hurt, and as he lay on the turf the quarterback exhibited some signs 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. The Dolphins diagnosed him with a concussion a few minutes later.

Coach Mike McDaniel has since cautioned against speculation on the quarterback's future, stressing that he's more focused on Tagovailoa getting healthy than what this latest concussion means for the team or for his career. Tagovailoa this week began the process of consulting neurologists about his health amid reports that he has no plans to retire.

Others around the NFL have offered their opinions on Tagovailoa's future, including Raiders coach Antonio Pierce, who suggested he should retire.

“As far as Tua’s career is concerned, I think it’s an utmost priority of mine for Tua to speak on Tua’s career,” McDaniel said Monday. “Reports are reports. As far as I’m concerned, I’m just worried about the human being and where that’s at day to day. I’ll let Tua be the champion of his own career.”

McDaniel said Tagovailoa was at the team's practice facility on Monday, greeting teammates and working with trainers.

“He’s doing good, man. Talked to him, he’s in good spirits,” receiver Jaylen Waddle said Monday. “(He’s) got the team in good spirits and everybody praying for him and hoping (for his) health.”

Head injuries have become a familiar, scary occurrence throughout Tagovailoa's career.

In a September 2022 game against the Bills, he took a hit from linebacker Matt Milano, which caused him to slam to the ground. He appeared disoriented afterward and stumbled as he tried to get to his feet. He was cleared to return to that game and later said it was a back injury that caused the stumble. He was not diagnosed with a concussion.

Four days later, he got hit again during a Thursday night game at Cincinnati in which he was briefly knocked unconscious and was taken off the field on a stretcher. As he lay on the turf, his fingers appeared to display the “fencing response,” an involuntary motion typically associated with a brain injury. That time, he was placed in the concussion protocol.

The NFL and the players' union made changes to the concussion protocol after those two incidents with Tagovailoa. Players who have problems with balance or stability are now prohibited from returning to a game.

Tagovailoa briefly considered retirement, but instead returned and studied ways to better protect himself on the field, including taking jiu-jitsu classes ahead of the 2023 season.

Tagovailoa has said he spoke to numerous neurologists who told him they did not believe he would be more susceptible to head injuries than any other player moving forward, nor would he be at a higher risk for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the brain disease associated with repeated blows to the head. He was also diagnosed with a concussion while in college at Alabama.

With Tagovailoa sidelined, the Dolphins will go with backup Skylar Thompson when play at Seattle on Sunday. Miami also signed Tyler Huntley off the Ravens' practice squad.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) sits on the field as he is attended to after an injury during the game against the Buffalo Bills in the second half of an NFL football game on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (Al Diaz/Miami Herald via AP)

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) is assisted after an injury in the third quarter of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills in Miami Gardens, Fla., Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (Al Diaz/Miami Herald via AP)

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) lies on the field after suffering a concussion during the second half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) lies on the field after suffering a concussion during the second half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel talks to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) as he leaves the game after suffering a concussion during the second half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Dolphins place Tua Tagovailoa on injured reserve after latest concussion, AP source says

Dolphins place Tua Tagovailoa on injured reserve after latest concussion, AP source says

GALLE, Sri Lanka (AP) — A sensational spell of fast bowling by New Zealand rookie William O’Rourke rocked Sri Lanka as the home side was bowled out for 305 runs in the first innings of the first cricket test on Thursday.

O’Rourke, who had troubled the Sri Lankan top order on the first day, claimed the last two wickets and there wasn’t much resistance from the tail. The last three wickets fell for just two runs on the rain-affected second morning with Ajaz Patel accounting for the remaining wicket.

O’Rourke, playing just his third test, finished with figures of five for 55, his second five-wicket haul in test cricket.

On the first day Wednesday he had accounted for both openers — Dimuth Karunaratne and Pathum Nissanka — before dismissing Angelo Mathews. All three batters were beaten by extra pace.

New Zealand faced just one over in its first innings and was five for no loss before rain forced the umpires to take early lunch. Only 4.5 overs were possible in the morning session due to rain.

New Zealand had a warm-up test match last week against Afghanistan in India washed out after five days without a ball being bowled. Sri Lanka is coming off a three-match test series in England which the hosts won 2-1.

The teams will play a second test beginning Sept. 26, also at Galle.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

New Zealand's William O'Rourke shows the ball in his hand as he celebrates his 5-wicket haul at the end of the Sri Lanka innings on the second day of the first cricket test match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Galle, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

Bangladesh's Zakir Hasan dives to make an unsuccessful attempt to run out of India's Yashasvi Jaiswal on the first day of the first cricket test match between India and Bangladesh, in Chennai, India, Thursday, Sept.19, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

New Zealand's William O'Rourke, right, is congratulated by his captain Tim Southee for his 5-wicket haul on the second day of the first cricket test match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Galle, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

Groundsmen pull the covers on as rain disrupts play on the second day of the first cricket test match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Galle, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

New Zealand's Tom Latham, left, and teammate Devon Conway leave the ground after rain disrupted play on the second day of the first cricket test match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Galle, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

New Zealand's William O'Rourke shows the ball in his hand as he celebrates his 5-wicket haul at the end of the Sri Lanka innings on the second day of the first cricket test match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Galle, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)