TUA Tagovailoa is returning to the Miami Dolphins this week and Tyreek Hill couldn’t be happier.
After missing four games with a concussion, Tagovailoa has decided to return to the NFL.
Tua hasn’t played since Week 2 of the season after suffering a concussion[/caption]
Dolphins fans are thrilled to have Tua back on the team after falling to 2-4, but it sounds like no one is happier than Hill.
Hill shared his excitement with reporters after his first practice reps with Tua following his concussion on September 12.
“He looked great. Felt like old times,” Hill said.
“Me and him connected on a few deep shots today, and that kind of got me feeling good today. I missed that and I missed him.
“I told him I’ve got to take him and his wife to dinner because I missed him so much.
“S*** was so beautiful, that s*** almost made me cry today like just having him in the lineup, having him call the plays, having him direct the offense, like just hearing his voice.
“I know that sounds crazy, but he’s a big part of this team.”
Tua started two games this season, winning the season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars before sustaining his concussion in Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills.
The Dolphins are 1-3 in games without him, and are at the bottom of the league in most offensive categories thanks to poor offensive play.
Hill is one of the players who has suffered the most without Tua. He is on pace for just 833 receiving yards which would be his lowest total since his rookie season.
The 30-year-old receiver had 130 yards and a touchdown in Week 1 with Tua at quarterback. He has just 164 yards and no touchdowns in the five weeks since then.
Hill connected with Tua over and over again on deep balls in practice, and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle said that “normally leads to big plays.”
“It was beautiful. It was so beautiful,” Hill said.
“I bet if you go ask every guy in this locker room, just say, ‘Hey, did Tua connect with Tyreek today?’ And if they say, ‘Yeah,’ the next question should be, ‘What was his reaction right after that?”
“I just had a big cheese on my face because it just felt so good. Like y’all don’t know what it does to me.”
Tua was hurt after diving for extra yardage instead of sliding on a scramble, and he has taken responsibility for ensuring he stays healthy the rest of the season.
NFL important dates
August 1 – Hall of Fame Game – Houston Texans vs Chicago Bears
August 8 – Pre-season begins
August 27 – Deadline for 53-man rosters
September 1 – Final day of pre-season
September 5 – Season opener – Baltimore Ravens vs Kansas City Chiefs
November 5 – Trade deadline
January 5 – Week 18 of regular-season
January 11 – Playoffs begin
February 9 – Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, Louisiana
Hill and other teammates joked that they tell him constantly to slide and that fans should cheer for Tua when it happens.
“Oh yeah, we’ve been talking to him ever since his injury,” running back Raheem Mostert said.
“I’ve been telling him, ‘Hey, you need to work on sliding.’ And we all joke around and laugh, but on a serious note, he knows that he has to protect himself a little bit better and moving forward, only he can control those things.
“We can say those things to him until we’re blue in the face, but one thing that I would say that’s always my saying is, ‘Hey, you can bring a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink, right?
“We’re going to bring Tua to that water, but we can’t make him drink. He has an understanding of that, and moving forward, he’s going to do his best.”
Tua was a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice, and he needs to be a full participant on Thursday or Friday to progress through the concussion protocol.
After he practices in full, he can meet with an independent neurological consult the get clearance to play.
If Tua is cleared to play, he will make his first start against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
Tua is expected to suit up against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday[/caption]
