Report: Tua Tagovailoa Uncertain to Play with Injury If Dolphins Make Wild Card Game

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa may not get the green light to suit up for the AFC Wild Card Round should his team get there, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

The Dolphins must win in Week 18 in order to keep their playoff hopes alive, and Rapoport reported that Tagovailoa is "unlikely to play" against the New York Jets as he fights through a hip injury. The problem is serious enough that "it's not a given the QB would be cleared next week," either, per Rapoport.

Tagovailoa suffered the hip injury during a Week 14 loss to the Houston Texans.

He then aggravated the injury after taking a hit by the San Francisco 49ers during a Week 15 win.

Tagovailoa previously suffered a hip fracture during his junior season at Alabama, necessitating surgery that called his NFL future into question.

McDaniel told reporters on Friday that Tagovailoa's latest injury was "unrelated" to that fracture, describing the problem instead as a "unique muscle issue."

"I think Tua wishes it was just a pain issue," McDaniel said on Friday. "It's quite literally being able to have the strength to do what we ask him to do, as well as protecting himself from very serious injury if we don't treat it appropriately."

Tagovailoa had already missed five games due to injury heading into Week 18, including one game sidelined with the hip issue as well as a four-game IR stint following a concussion he suffered in Week 2.

The concussion marked the third documented concussion of his NFL career, including an injury that resulted in his brief hospitalization in 2022.

Tagovailoa has led the Dolphins to a 6-5 record when healthy by completing 72.9 percent of his passes for 2,867 yards, 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions.