Dolphins must rely on ‘next man up’ with the future of concussed Tua Tagovailoa unknown
Associated PressMIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Mike McDaniel admitted he found it hard to focus on football after watching his quarterback go down with his third concussion in three years. The Miami Dolphins head coach walked a wobbly Tua Tagovailoa to the sideline after the player took a hard hit on the field and appeared to bang his head against the ground in a scary scene in the third quarter of Thursday’s 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills. “We’re just evaluating the pros and cons for the different situations and getting through all those possibilities to do the best thing for the team,” McDaniel said, “but as it stands today, I’m expecting that Skylar is the next man up.” Thompson completed 8 of 14 passes for 80 yards when he came in for Tagovailoa on Thursday night. I’m going to prepare and work hard and do everything I can to lead this team and do my job.” Thompson, who beat out Mike White — now with the Bills — for the backup role during training camp, said he feels ready to run the entirety of the Dolphins’ complex playbook that includes various types of shifts and motions. The Dolphins’ 2024 first-round pick flashed his potential, using his quickness to burst past Bills offensive linemen — including Pro Bowl left tackle Dion Dawkins — on several plays.