Six weeks ago, there was serious debate about whether Tua Tagovailoa would ever play football again.

Now the Dolphins’ quarterback is back and leading a Miami offense that is sorely missing QB1.

Tagovailoa made his highly anticipated return to the Dolphins on Sunday, transferring to Miami for the first time since his concussion in Week 2. The head injury was the third such head injury in the quarterback’s career, and it was unclear what the future would bring. 26 years old.

But after an extensive recovery process, Tagovailoa was under center for Miami for the Week 8 contest against Arizona. While Tagovailoa had a strong performance, Cardinals kicker Chad Ryaland’s last-second field goal gave Arizona a 28-27 victory.

During the stretch with Tagovailoa on the sidelines, the Dolphins struggled mightily. Head coach Mike McDaniel had to use the combination of Tyler Huntley and Skylar Thompson at quarterback, but the offense wasn’t the same. Miami hasn’t reached 20 points in any of its four games without Tagovailoa, going 1-3 in that span with its only win coming against the bottom-seed Patriots.

The Dolphins couldn’t get back on the winning streak upon Tagovailoa’s return, but it was the best the offense had seen all year, allowing a season-high 27 points. Tagovailoa scored a touchdown, while the combination of De’Von Achane and Raheem Mostert rushed for over 100 yards and two touchdowns.

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Arguably the highlight of the day was Tagovailoa’s 13-yard run. The Miami QB took off on third-and-9 from the Arizona 22-yard line and slid for a first down. His attempt drew applause from the crowd and chants of “Tua, Tua” rained down on Hard Rock Stadium.

Tua gets the first fall and more #GoFins

: #AZvsMIA on FOX
: pic.twitter.com/hAiaYa4LAz

— NFL (@NFL) 27 October 2024

You can find out more about Tagovailoa’s return to the Dolphins here.

Tua Tagovailoa’s stats today vs. Cardinals

Tagovailoa threw effectively in the air on Sunday, completing 73.7% of his passes for 234 yards and one touchdown.

It may not have been a dazzling statistical day for the lefty, but it was a strong performance considering his time off. He was sacked only once that day and showed that he wasn’t afraid to take off and run.

Tua to De’Von Achane for the Dolphins TD!

: #AZvsMIA on FOX
: pic.twitter.com/VmCD4xBVw7

— NFL (@NFL) 27 October 2024

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What happened to Tua Tagovailoa?

Tagovailoa suffered a concussion during Miami’s “Monday Night Football” contest against Buffalo in Week 2. It was his third official concussion at the NFL level.

In the third quarter of the Dolphins’ 31-10 home loss to the Bills, Tagovailoa fumbled for a touchdown on fourth-and-4 from the 13-yard line. He gained the necessary clearance to move the chains, but instead of sliding, he headed his header past Bills safety Damar Hamlin to score.

As a result, his helmet impaled directly on the Buffalo secondary’s chest, sending him crashing to the ground.

Tua gets hit hard. He looks like he has a concussion. #BUFvsMIA pic.twitter.com/SwBpjQQaM1

— Rate the Refs App (@Rate_the_Refs) September 13, 2024

Tagovailoa was briefly frozen on the ground before being put on display. fencing stance – an “unnatural” position in which the arms protrude rigidly from the body.

He remained on the field for a while while the medical team intervened.

Another look at the blow to Tua Tagovailoa’s head/neck before leaving the game:pic.twitter.com/huqhufac1I

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 13, 2024

Tagovailoa eventually stood up and left the field, drawing applause from the crowd. He went to the locker room, where he suffered a concussion just six minutes after the kick and was ruled out for the rest of the game.

It was unclear at the time whether he would return to play this season. He missed the next four games for Miami but returned in Week 8.

As long as Tagovailoa is healthy, he’s QB1 in Miami and the Dolphins definitely need him. At 2-5, the Dolphins need a win to keep their playoff hopes alive.