Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa, Teddy Bridgewater clear concussion protocol
Tua Tagovailoa and Teddy Bridgewater have cleared concussion protocols and are eligible to return for the Miami Dolphins.
Bridgewater is expected to dress as a backup to Skylar Thompson as the Dolphins host the Vikings on Sunday. Tagovailoa may return as starter the following Sunday against Pittsburgh.
Coach Mike McDaniel is going with Thompson, the 7th-round rookie, because he has practiced all week. Bridgewater was removed from the last game after only one snap.
Special start for Skylar Thompson: ‘Long journey with a lot of curves'
NFL isn't saying: Did spotter make right call on Teddy Bridgewater?
Might Miami miss Brian Flores?: We mean his defensive acumen
Bridgewater hit his head at the beginning of a loss at the Jets. This week he was not determined to have any concussion symptoms beyond what a spotter at the game said was ataxia.
That's poor muscle control that causes clumsy voluntary movements.
McDaniel and most observers could not identify a stumble by Bridgewater and there has not yet been clarification from the NFL. The NFL and NFLPA want to be cautious about concussion symptoms, especially after national outrage following Tagovailoa's post-hit stumble at Buffalo.
Tagovailoa was cleared to return to that game.
Tagovailoa has been seen by multiple outside specialists, so the club and Tagovailoa feel comfortable with his pending return. Tagovailoa suffered a concussion on Sept. 29 at Cincinnati.
Tagovailoa ramped up in a return to practice this week, two weeks after he left the field on a stretcher and was taken to a local hospital.
Miami won their first three games with Tagovailoa at starter.
After Tagovailoa was knocked out at Cincinnati, Bridgewater was unable to lead a victory in relief. And Thomspon played all but one snap of a loss at the Jets last Sunday, as Miami fell to 3-2.
The Dolphins have won eight consecutive games at Hard Rock Stadium. But they are 3.5-point underdogs to the Vikings.
Joe Schad is a journalist at the Palm Beach Post part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at jschad@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa and Teddy Bridgewater clear concussion protocols
