Tua Tagovailoa injury: when will Dolphins QB return?

The Dolphins are in the midst of a make-or-break season with Tua Tagovailoa, their supposed quarterback of the future. The Dolphins' biggest goal is to establish whether they can rely on Tua Tagovailoa long-term or if they need to go back to the drawing board at quarterback. Unfortunately, Tagovailoa's chances took a ding today as the second-year quarterback will miss Sunday with fractured ribs.

Tua Tagovailoa out for Sunday: Jacoby Brissett expected to start

It is unclear how long the injury will keep the quarterback out. He was listed as day-to-day after last Sunday's shutout loss to the Buffalo Bills. In his place will be Jacoby Brissett, who has a wealth of experience and played in Sunday's game as well.

In Sunday's loss, Brissett threw for 169 yards and an interception with 40 pass attempts. Some would say the shock of the situation gives Brissett an excuse for the below-average quarterback performance. This week, many expect Brissett to have a better day against the Las Vegas Raiders.

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In his career, Brissett has 31 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. The backup quarterback is 12-20 in 32 games. He spent time with the New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, and now the Miami Dolphins. He's been on the field at least once every season since 2016, when he made his debut after Tom Brady's suspension and Jimmy Garoppolo's subsequent injury.

Most recently, Brissett started 15 games in 2019 after the last-second retirement of starting quarterback Andrew Luck. In those games, Brissett threw for 18 touchdowns and six interceptions en route to a 7-8 record. He completed 60.9 percent of his passes and nearly eclipsed 3000 yards. The Dolphins will be hoping that this version of Brissett shows up for Sunday's game.

Tagovailoa has a long and storied history of injuries throughout his college career. He underwent multiple surgeries and failed to finish the season in 2019. The Dolphins are hoping Tagovailoa's latest injury will not consume the season. However, should Tagovailoa's injury become a long-term ordeal, the Dolphins are hoping Brissett can keep the ship afloat until Tagovailoa is fully healed.