MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Tua Tagovailoa has fractured ribs and will not play Sunday when the Miami Dolphins visit the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Dolphins announced the updated diagnosis Wednesday, after initial tests suggested Tagovailoa was dealing with bruised ribs. Further exams showed the fractures, and the Dolphins already have decided that Jacoby Brissett will start this weekend.
Recommended Videos
It's unclear how long Tagovailoa will be sidelined. Dolphins coach Brian Flores did not want to offer a timetable for a potential return but said Tagovailoa is already improving.
Tagovailoa was injured on the second series of Miami's 35-0 loss to Buffalo last weekend. He took a hit on a fourth-down play from the Bills' A.J. Epenesa, then slowly made his way to the sideline where a cart was waiting to take him off the field.
Tagovailoa completed 17 of 22 passes for 94 yards and a touchdown when the Dolphins went to Las Vegas and beat the Raiders 26-25 last season.
Brissett completed 24 of 40 passes for 169 yards and an interception after entering the game as Tagovailoa's replacement last week. He was sacked four times, part of a six-sack-yielded day by the Dolphins' offensive line — a figure that doesn't even count the play where Tagovailoa got hurt.
___
More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL