MIAMI -- Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is not in concussion protocol as the team prepares for Thursday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals, head coach Mike McDaniel said Monday.
Tagovailoa briefly left Sunday's win over the Buffalo Bills and was evaluated for a concussion after hitting the back of his head on the ground during the second quarter. He stumbled while trying to jog back to the huddle after the play, prompting the Dolphins to evaluate him for a concussion on the sideline and ultimately in the locker room.
After the game, both McDaniel and Tagovailoa said it was the quarterback's back that caused him to stumble, not a head injury; Tagovailoa said he felt like he "hyperextended" his back earlier in the game on a designed quarterback sneak, and it flared up late in the second quarter.