Sources – Tua Tagovailoa is training and hopes to play Week 8

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa should begin practicing again next week in hopes of playing against the Arizona Cardinals next Sunday, sources confirmed to ESPN.

Tagovailoa remained in concussion protocol and was subject to the NFL's return-to-play regulations, which would play a crucial role in determining his return.

Despite his recent concussion, Tagovailoa wanted to try to play football again, and that no longer seemed to be a question.

As frightening as Tagovailoa's recent injury was, when his arms gave out during the fencing kick, it was consistent with his behavior after each of his other concussions.

Tagovailoa was spotted visiting neurologists in Pittsburgh, as he has in the past, and doctors apparently didn't say anything forceful to him that would change his mind about continuing to play the sport that has been a part of his life since childhood .

Tagovailoa has consulted not only some of the doctors he had seen after previous head injuries, but also new ones to gather as much information as possible to make a clear decision about his future.

But as a source told ESPN earlier this month, “He's playing 100%.”

Tagovailoa also insisted he felt good. After suffering a concussion in the Dolphins' Week 2 game against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night, he was symptom-free shortly afterward. Instead of going to a local hospital, Tagovailoa stayed in the Dolphins' locker room, greeting his teammates and showing little sign that he had experienced another traumatic episode to his brain.

The Athletic first reported Saturday that Tagovailoa is expected to resume training next week.

Tagovailoa, 26, has a history of concussions since entering the NFL in 2020. During the 2022 season, he was diagnosed with two concussions and suffered a third blow to the head, causing the NFL to change its concussion reporting policy.

After he was diagnosed with a concussion on December 26, 2022, the Dolphins suspended him for the remainder of the season; At the end of the season, he went through the league's protocol.

Tagovailoa will sit out his fourth game on Sunday when Miami travels to Indianapolis to play the Colts. But Tagovailoa is eligible to come off injured reserve next week and return for the Dolphins' home game against the Cardinals on Oct. 27.

Miami has used two quarterbacks in Tagovailoa's absence: Skylar Thompson and Tyler Huntley; The latter was signed from the Baltimore Ravens' practice squad and started his first game two weeks later after an injury to Thompson.

The Dolphins plan to continue starting Huntley until Tagovailoa returns. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said the team's bye in Week 6 allowed Huntley to “really get into the intricacies of the Dolphins' complex offense.”

Although the Dolphins will monitor him closely and carefully, there is a growing feeling that Tagovailoa will be behind center as early as next week.

Tagovailoa already attended team meetings, stood on the sidelines for every game he sat out and participated in all team activities except practices and games.

ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques contributed to this report.