Dolphins Place Tua Tagovailoa on IR

Dolphins place Tua Tagovailoa on IR originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Miami Dolphins starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has been placed on injured reserve with fractured ribs, the team announced on Saturday.

Tagovailoa had already been ruled out of Sunday’s matchup against the Raiders in Las Vegas, but now he will miss at least two more games.

The Dolphins are hopeful Tagovailoa will be ready to return when he’s eligible to come off IR ahead of Week 6, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Veteran Jacoby Brissett, who was signed in the offseason, will take over as the starter in Tagovailoa’s absence. The Dolphins also activated quarterback Reid Sinnett from the practice squad on Saturday to serve as Brissett's backup.

Tagovailoa sustained his injury after taking a big hit from defensive end A.J. Epenesa in the first quarter of Miami’s Week 2 blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills.

Tua Tagovailoa is hurt. Here is a video of the injury (via @BradleyGelber)

Hoping Tua is okay 🙏 pic.twitter.com/2BDPnQBfLQ

— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) September 19, 2021

The second-year signal caller was subsequently carted to the locker room and didn’t return to the game.

Brissett went 24 of 40 for 169 yards and one interception in relief duty against Buffalo. He's made 32 career starts over his six-year career, with his most recent extended run of action coming as the Indianapolis Colts’ No. 1 QB in 2019.

After facing Vegas, Miami will host the Colts in Week 4 before visiting the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 5. If Tagovailoa is deemed ready by Week 6, his return would come on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars.