Report: Tua Tagovailoa ruled out for Dolphins-Bills playoff game, with Skylar Thompson set to start

Tua Tagovailoa will unfortunately not suit up for the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

Some fans were likely hoping that the star quarterback could recover in time for the team’s wild-card game against the Buffalo Bills. However, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel put a rest to that, stating that the 24-year-old has not been cleared yet for football activities.

The news certainly puts a blow on Miami’s chances of upsetting its division rival. Without Tagovailoa this season, the Dolphins offense hasn’t been able to find a groove. Against Buffalo and its highly ranked defense, points will likely be hard to come by.

It has been a wild ride for the Dolphins this season. They opened the 2022 campaign with three straight wins only to follow that up with three consecutive losses. Miami then reeled off a five-game winning streak before losing the same number of contests entering the final week of the regular season.

With an 8-8 record, the squad needed to defeat the New York Jets and a little bit of help from the Bills in order to reach the playoffs. The dream scenario took place, and Miami grabbed the last playoff spot in the AFC.

Having Tagovailoa on the field would have likely given the Dolphins a better chance of advancing to the next round, but they will now have to march on without him.

The University of Alabama product reportedly had a desire to suit up on Sunday. But, the injuries he has sustained in the past months may have taken a toll on his health.

It’s probably for the better that Tagovailoa miss out on the Sunday contest so he can continue focusing on his recovery. After all, suffering from multiple concussions in a single season might have long-term effects on his health.

Without Tagovailoa, the Dolphins will likely have to rely on rookie Skylar Thompson again. The 25-year-old is set to make his second straight start as he also got the starting nod against the Jets last week.