Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa sets likely return; won’t wear Guardian Cap

MIAMI DOLPHINS QUARTERBACK TUA TAGOVAILOA (tung-uh-VIE-LOE-uh) WILL BE BACK AT PRACTICE WEDNESDAY – FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE WEEK TWO OF THE N-F-L SEASON.

TAGOVAILOA SUFFERED HIS THIRD CAREER CONCUSSION DURING THE DOLPHINS MATCHUP AGAINST THE BUFFALO BILLS IN SEPTEMBER… FORCING HIM TO SIT OUT THE PAST FOUR GAMES – THE MINIMUM AMOUNT.

WITH HIS HISTORY OF HEAD INJURIES – CALLS FOR HIM TO CONSIDER RETIREMENT WERE REVIVED.

HE SAYS HE QUOTE “WASN’T PAYING ATTENTION TO ANY OF IT.”

TUA TAGOVAILOA | MIAMI DOLPHINS QUARTERBACK

“I appreciate your concern, I really do. I love this game and I love it to the death of me.”

“I think the brain is, it’s just very – there’s just a gray area when it comes to that. If you do know that you’re gonna get long-term, you know, disease from it or if you’re not. I just think there’s a lot of gray with it. For me, this is what I love to do. This is what makes me happy and I’m gonna do it. That’s it.”

WHEN TAGOVAILAO WAS ASKED IF HE’D WEAR A GUARDIAN CAP – LIKE THE ONE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS OFFENSIVE TACKLE LUKE GOEDEKE WAS SEEN SPORTING DURING MONDAY NIGHT’S GAME AGAINST THE BALTIMORE RAVENS… HE SIMPLY SAID “NOPE.”

WHEN PRESSED ON *WHY* BY A REPORTER, TAGOVAILOA SAID IT WAS A QUOTE “PERSONAL CHOICE.”

GUARDIAN CAPS ARE SOFT, PROTECTIVE HELMET COVERS THAT THE N-F-L HAS AUTHORIZED PLAYERS TO WEAR DURING GAMES THIS SEASON – IN AN EFFORT TO REDUCE HEAD INJURIES.

THE N-F-L HAS MANDATED THE CAPS BE USED AT CONTACT PRACTICE FOR MOST PLAYERS SINCE 20-22 – BUT QUARTERBACKS, KICKERS, AND PUNTERS ARE EXEMPT FROM THAT RULE.

IF THE DOLPHINS’ QUARTERBACK CLEARS THE N-F-L’S CONCUSSION PROTOCOL AFTER WEDNESDAY’S PRACTICE… HE’S EXPECTED TO START AGAINST THE ARIZONA CARDINALS ON SUNDAY.