The Miami Dolphins’ rough season took another unexpected turn on Sunday morning when quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was added to the Week 8 injury report. After spending the week preparing to start against the Atlanta Falcons, the veteran signal-caller appeared on the report just hours before kickoff; this time, with an illness.
The team confirmed the update on social media, posting: “Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa has been added to the injury report with an illness but will have no game status designation. He is expected to start today’s game vs. Atlanta.”
The news comes just days after Tagovailoa assured reporters that his thumb injury, which forced him to exit last week’s 31-6 loss to the Cleveland Browns, was “good.” Despite the setback, the 26-year-old is expected to play through his illness as Miami looks to avoid a 1-7 start to the season.
Still, Tagovailoa’s health has become a major storyline amid a disappointing campaign. After a strong start in 2024, he’s thrown 10 interceptions in seven games and was even benched in the fourth quarter against Cleveland.
Head coach Mike McDaniel has remained publicly supportive of his quarterback but acknowledged that the team must “evaluate everything” after a string of turnover-heavy performances.
ESPN insiders Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler recently speculated that Miami could explore sweeping roster changes before the November 4 trade deadline, though Tua’s massive guaranteed contract makes any move unlikely. For now, the Dolphins’ focus remains on getting their starting quarterback healthy enough to stabilize an offense in crisis.
