MIAMI — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has been placed in concussion protocol for the second time this season.
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said Monday that Tagovailoa suffered a concussion sometime during the team's loss against the Green Bay Packers on Christmas Day, despite playing the full game.
"As far as the game was concerned, no one recognized anything with regard to any sort of hit," he said. "I can't really tell you exactly what it was."
He added that third-year quarterback met with doctors and discussed symptoms with them, which led to him being placed in the NFL's concussion protocol. Under the policy, every player diagnosed with a concussion must go through a five-step process before being cleared to practice or participate in a game.
McDaniel wouldn't say whether Tagovailoa would start on Sunday's game against the New England Patriots, which has playoff implications for both teams. For now, Dolphins backup Teddy Bridgewater is getting ready to potentially take his spot.
"It's too soon to really tell," McDaniel said. "You just know that someone goes into the protocol and you have to be ready to really do whatever with that. I know Teddy (Bridgewater) will prepare as though he's starting and we'll see as the week goes."
Earlier this season, Tagovailoa's head was slammed to the turf and he suffered a concussion after a vicious hit during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 29. He missed two games as a result, and prompted the league to update how it handles concussions during games. The players union fired an unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant involved in Tagovailoa's concussion check during a game against the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 25, when he suffered a head injury – yet returned to play.