A week after his bench, Tua Tagovailoa might not be available for the Miami Dolphins – this time for a much different reason. Miami classified Tagovailoa as questionable for Sunday’s game against the New York Jets after the quarterback injured his thumb in his throwing hand during practice on Wednesday. Tagovailoa has been limited in practice all week with the injury.
“Whenever there is something you have to make a statement,” Dolphins head coach Brian Flores said of Tagovailoa’s injury condition. “So we have to watch the movie and see what it looks like, but we just thought ‘dodgy’ was the best statement for him.”
Flores reiterated that Tagovailoa wanted to play in Sunday’s game, but was going to let the film decide if his quarterback was ready to go. If Tagovailoa can’t go, Ryan Fitzpatrick will go for the Dolphins against the Jets. Fitzpatrick finished 12th of 18 for 117 yards with an interception in his two possessions in a Week 11 loss to the Denver Broncos, relieving Tagovailoa as the Dolphins fielded the rookie quarterback in the fourth quarter of that game.
Tagovailoa completed 11 of 20 passes for 83 yards and a touchdown in the loss. He completed 61.9 percent of his passes for 602 yards and six zero interception touchdowns for a 100.1 passer rating in five games this season.
“I think we’re just trying to work on it, treat it,” Flores said of Tagovailoa’s injury. “And that’s what Tua does like any other player. As far as – and everyone’s a little different – so some guys it’s their legs only if they don’t have legs under. them, that’s what’s a hindrance, other guys, it’s a shoulder.
“So I can’t say specifically for Tua or any other player as far as exactly what they can or can’t play. I know he’s a tough, tough kid. He wants to play and we’ll see. how it goes.”
