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DAVIE, Fla – Miami Dolphins rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has been demoted from doubtful to doubtful for Sunday’s game against the New York Jets due to a left thumb injury he sustained during of practice this week.
Veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick is expected to start for Tagovailoa.
The Dolphins lifted rookie practice team quarterback Reid Sinnett to the active roster for the first time this season, another sign Tagovailoa is expected to be inactive on Sunday. Sinnett would serve as Fitzpatrick’s replacement in his first game in the NFL.
Tagovailoa stuck his thumb on his left hand as he threw his hand over a teammate’s helmet during practice on Wednesday, which limited him throughout the week despite being seen slipping run and train every day.
Dolphins Brian Flores first said Thursday morning that he wasn’t “too worried” about Tagovailoa’s thumb, but on Friday he noted he should watch his effectiveness in the workout movie before to decide if he could play on Sunday.
Obviously Flores didn’t like what he saw and the dolphins tend to give Tagovailoa time to rest their thumbs.
Fitzpatrick has started the Dolphins’ first six games this season, setting a 3-3 record and generally performing well before Flores surprisingly elevated Tagovailoa to the starter starting in Week 8 against the Los Angeles Rams. Tagovailoa has gone 3-1 as a starter since taking office, but was benched in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 20-13 loss to the Denver Broncos due to his performance.
Tagovailoa was expected to return to the starting lineup for a chance to bounce back this Sunday, but the thumb injury spoiled that opportunity. Now Fitzpatrick, who just turned 38 this week, will be looking for an important 6-4 Dolphins victory over the 0-10 Jets as they try to stay in the center of the AFC playoff photo .
Since Tagovailoa is a left-handed passer, any injury to his left thumb makes it difficult to throw the ball accurately. Flores also mentioned earlier this week that every player reacts to injuries differently.
“I can’t say specifically for Tua or for any player on what they can and cannot play,” said Flores. “I know he’s a tough kid. He wants to play, and we’ll see how it goes.”
For Tagovailoa, his chance to bounce back from a poor performance will have to wait. Attention turns to how long it takes Tagovailoa to rehabilitate his thumb and return to play. It’s worth noting that the Dolphins brought quarterback Jake Rudock, who spent part of 2019 and 2020 on the team’s practice squad, for a visit on Friday.
In the meantime, it’s FitzMagic time.
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