Following a trying season marred by multiple stints in concussion protocol, Tua Tagovailoa broke his silence with a message on social media Friday as he continues to prepare for a return in 2023.
The Dolphins quarterback has been out of the public eye since suffering his second concussion of the season in Week 16, an injury that sidelined Tagovailoa through Miami’s final three games, including a 34–31 wild-card loss to Buffalo last Sunday. Making his first public comments in nearly two months, the 24-year-old wrote a message on Twitter signaling his eagerness to enter the next chapter of his career.
Tagovailoa tweeted, “When one chapter ends, another begins. Proud of this last one, excited for the next one!”
Tagovailoa’s tweet comes at a time where his health continues to be a major topic of discussion around the NFL. The third-year QB’s recent protocol stint, which began after he played against the Packers on Christmas Day, came a few months after an extensive investigation into whether concussion protocols were followed properly earlier in the season, led to the league’s protocol being updated. This first investigation pertained to a hard hit he endured against the Bills, but the quarterback did suffer a concussion against Cincinnati where he was stretchered off the field.
Despite the lingering questions, Miami has reportedly remained focused on keeping Tagovailoa as their QB1 next season, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported prior Miami’s playoff loss. The next day, Dolphins general manager Chris Grier seemingly confirmed the report after he relayed to reporters that doctors informed the team Tagovailoa is no more prone to concussions than any other player.
“Tua Tagovailoa is our starting quarterback,” Grier added. “Talking to doctors, we fully expect him back next year 100%.”
On the season, Tagovailoa posted career-highs across the board, with 3,548 passing yards and 25 touchdowns in his 13 starts, to go with eight interceptions.
