“I promise you, it is the saddest thing.” That’s Bills’ Dion Dawkins straight up laying it out about Tua Tagovailoa’s latest concussion. The hit was so brutal, that even Dawkins couldn’t shake it—neither could we. Seeing a young guy, stacked with talent and promise, go down like that? It stings, man. 

FinsXtra X handle dropped a tweet of the Buffs’ offensive lineman Dawkins, keeping it real about QB Tagovailoa. “We’re all watching him like, sly bro… if you slid a few inches before, it’s just a sad thing. My prayers, my heart goes out to Tua, his family, his parents, and I hope he’s going to recover well. This is a violent game, and it shows it. I know everybody in the locker room will be praying for him.” No matter the rivalry, Dion Dawkins’ message was clear: “Even though we’re enemies, we’re family, we’re all football players. We’re in this brotherhood together. So, we all will get on our knees and pray for Tua and his family.”

Tagovailoa’s Thursday night took a harsh turn. In the third quarter of a 31-10 blowout loss to the Bills, he took a shot that rocked the stadium. Scrambling for a first down, he lowered his shoulder right into Damar Hamlin’s body. Boom—his helmet slammed into Hamlin, and the Dolphins’ QB hit the turf, arms stiff as a board (classic “fencing response” signaling some serious head trauma). 

This is the 26-year-old’s third diagnosed concussion in the league. Yes, third. The guy was already on shaky ground after multiple concussions in 2022, even having serious retire-or-not talks with his family. But then came 2023—a killer year for him. He bulked up, learned martial arts to dodge hits, and Miami was all in, throwing a monster $212.4M extension his way. Fast-forward to now… and the same terrifying questions are back. 

So, what now for Tua Tagovailoa? The brutal reality’s that his future in the NFL just got a lot murkier. If he has to walk away for good, he’s still bagging a $125M in guaranteed cash (out of $167M). Even if he decides on his own to hang it up, the Phins are stuck paying another $90M. Andrew Luck-style retirements ain’t new to the league, but the Alabama standout’s deal makes this situation way more expensive for Miami. 

But forget the contract drama for a sec. Right now, it’s all about Tagovailoa’s health. Coach Mike McDaniel said the QB was “in good spirits,” but he’s still going through more tests. Will he be back under center soon, or are the Dolphins prepping their backup plan?

Tua Tagovailoa’s concussion protocol and Miami’s QB contingency 

Tagovailoa’s latest concussion got everyone talking. Before he can suit up again, Tua has got to clear the NFL’s five-step concussion protocol. Step one? Full rest—until those symptoms get back to normal. After that, he’ll slowly ramp up his activity, starting with light cardio before hitting the weights and eventually moving to non-contact football drills. And the final hurdle? He’s got to get the green light from both the team’s doc and an independent neurologist. No shortcuts, no rush.

If the Pro Bowl champ’s not ready for the Seahawks game, Skylar Thompson, in his third year, might get the nod. He’s seen some action, including a playoff game last year in Buffalo. There’s also Tim Boyle on the practice team, but if they need extra depth, veteran Ryan Tannehill (2012 first-round pick) could be in the mix.

HC McDaniel hasn’t ruled Tagovailoa out yet, but he’s got “full confidence” in Skylar Thompson. Let’s see how things shape up in Miami.