Dolphins’ Skylar Thompson ‘Next Man Up’ After Tua Tagovailoa’s Concussion, HC Says

Scott Polacek@@ScottPolacekFeatured Columnist IVSeptember 13, 2024

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The Miami Dolphins aren’t looking to bring in an external starting quarterback while Tua Tagovailoa is sidelined with a concussion.

Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel told reporters Friday that Skylar Thompson is the “next man up” under center. Thompson entered Thursday’s game against the Buffalo Bills when Tagovailoa exited with the third confirmed concussion of his career.

McDaniel explained the team has discussed potentially bringing in more quarterback depth but believes in Thompson’s ability to keep the offense afloat without the starter.

Miami selected Thompson with a seventh-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft and started him three times as a rookie, including in a playoff loss to the Bills, when Tagovailoa was sidelined.

“I don’t know what our timeline is. I’m not concerned with that,” McDaniel told reporters after Thursday’s game. “We played Skylar as a rookie and with the season on the line, and found a way to win an elimination game and go toe-to-toe with this very same organization in a playoff game. I think that he’s a much better player than he was then. Those are things that the team feels—I think guys really believe in Skylar, so I have the utmost confidence in him.”

Thompson went 1-1 as a starter while completing 57.1 percent of his passes for 534 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions in two regular-season games in 2022 and then went 18-of-45 for 220 yards, one touchdown and two picks in the 34-31 loss to Buffalo in the playoffs.

Tagovailoa was sidelined for that postseason game because of the concussion he suffered earlier that season against the Green Bay Packers. It was his second confirmed concussion of the 2022 campaign and came after the first one against the Cincinnati Bengals left him hospitalized.

The one against Cincinnati also happened just four days after he took a hard hit during a game against the Bills. The NFL ended up changing its concussion protocol that season because of the Tagovailoa situation.

Given that history, another head injury in Thursday’s game led to speculation about the quarterback’s long-term future and whether he should retire.

McDaniel weighed in on the topic and told reporters, “His career is his … I just wish people would hear for a second what I’m saying, that bringing up his future is not in the best interest for him.”

The coach also said his reaction to reading about his own hypothetical comments about his quarterback’s career would be to say, “I’ve just made him worse.”

He added that it remains to be seen whether Tagovailoa will go on injured reserve.

For now, the Dolphins will turn to Thompson with nine days to prepare for their Sept. 22 game against the Seattle Seahawks.