MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — There’s optimism surrounding Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa as he prepares for a possible return this Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. After undergoing evaluations, medical professionals have deemed him fit to resume practice, paving the way for his potential comeback following a recent concussion.

Dolphins’ head coach Mike McDaniel announced on Monday that Tagovailoa will start practicing on Wednesday. If all goes well during practice, the intention is for him to lead the team as the starting quarterback at home this Sunday, as the Dolphins seek to improve their record, currently standing at 2-4.

Tagovailoa suffered his concussion in a Week 2 matchup against the Buffalo Bills, where a collision with Bills safety Damar Hamlin led to his injury. In that play, Tagovailoa attempted to gain a first down, lowering his shoulder into Hamlin rather than opting for a safer slide.

His history with head injuries has been concerning, especially since his entry into the NFL, where he was diagnosed with two concussions in 2022 alone. He experienced another significant head hit during that season, which ultimately contributed to alterations in the league’s protocols regarding concussions.

In Tagovailoa’s absence, the Dolphins have had to rely on three different quarterbacks to fill the gap. Skylar Thompson took over in place of Tagovailoa during the game against Buffalo and also started the following week but soon faced a rib injury. Tyler Huntley competed in two games as a starter, achieving a record of 1-1 before suffering an injury in the third quarter during the game against Indianapolis. Tim Boyle stepped in to complete that match.