Dolphins’ backup QB had a “scary” moment just like Tua Tagovailoa’s, but what exactly happened?
Having had the experience himself, the Dolphins’ backup QB could only watch in horror as the team’s starter was forced out of the game with a severe injury.
On Thursday night, the Dolphins’ backup QB was called into action following a serious head injury to Tua Tagovailoa. Having suffered a similar injury himself, the seasoned quarterback had mixed emotions when he entered the mix.
Tua Tagovailoa’s injury was a “scary” reminder for Teddy Bridgewater
Regardless of where your allegiances lie, nobody enjoyed seeing Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa carted off the field on Thursday night after what appeared to be a severe head injury which resulted in a concussion. Indeed, if there was anybody present who likely felt for Miami’s starter more than others, it was backup QB Teddy Bridgewater. Fans will recall, that Bridgewater himself suffered a similar scenario in 2021 which ultimately brought an end to his season. It was December 2021 and believe it or not, it was the said same team against which Tagovailoa was playing, the Cincinnati Bengals.
On the night, Bridgewater and his teammates could only watch in silence as Dolphins trainers and medical staff helped Tagovailoa who was clearly shaken. With what appeared to be both head and neck injuries, Miami’s QB was taken to a nearby hospital, before he was eventually discharged with the understanding that he would be flown back to Miami with his team. “It’s very scary,” Bridgewater said. “That’s a part of the game that sucks. It’s fun to score touchdowns and make plays, but it’s one side of the game that really sucks.”
Teddy Bridgewater explains what happened after Tua’s injury
Clearly shaken by the episode, Bridgewater didn’t hide the fact that there was “a lot going through my mind” after watching Tagovailoa injury and subsequent removal from the game. To his credit, it would appear the backup QB succeeded in overcoming any nerves as he led Miami to its first lead at the start of the 4th quarter. Unfortunately, the Bengals had other ideas as they proceeded to score on three consecutive attempts which ultimately took them to a 27-15 win over the Dolphins. With that the team considered to be the most in form for the season so far, conceded its first defeat.
“I knew that I had to just snap (out of it) and try to lead this team to victory,” said Bridgewater, who threw for 193 yards with a touchdown and an interception. “Knowing that so many guys were counting on not only myself but us to just go out there and finish that game and trying to get a win. Ultimately, we came up short.” On a positive note, Bridgewater explained that despite the defeat there was in fact a silver lining, as they were told upon returning to the locker room that Tagovailoa was being discharged from the hospital. “You could see guys’ spirits lifted,” Bridgewater. “That was some great news. Especially after the results of the game. It was great news.”
Dolphins remain proud in defeat
Curiously - if that’s the word - Bridgewater related what he himself thought while enroute to the hospital having suffered the same injury that Tagovailoa did. That’s to say not much. “I can’t answer that because I didn’t remember anything until I woke up at the hospital,” he said. “They said I woke up in the back of the truck, but I don’t remember anything I got my CAT scan and MRI.”
With that in mind, one can imagine that Miami’s second man just tried his best to focus on the task at hand on Thursday night and to be fair, despite their loss, he did so admirably. “There’s so many things throughout the night that happened that we’ll be able to learn from moving forward,” Bridgewater said. “Especially with something that tonight, it can either put you on eggshells or you can just be mentally stable and be able to just hey, I just got a job to do. ...I knew that there were a ton of men on our sideline who are dependent on me to go out and compete.”