As the Miami Dolphins prepare to face the Arizona Cardinals Sunday, fans await the return of star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, though they will also have to see that wide receiver Tyreek Hill is on the injury report. As big steps have been taken for the Dolphins quarterback in Tagovailoa, he gets an injury practice update along with his No. 1 receiver in Hill.
Tagovailoa has been upgraded to a full participant in practice while Hill was listed as “limited” with him nursing a foot injury according to ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques and the team's official practice report. There has been no signaling that Hill is at risk to miss Week 8 against Arizona, but it is still worth noting that the star wideout has an injury.
Dolphins' Tyreek Hill on having Tua Tagovailoa back
Still, there is a more celebratory mood within Miami as Tagovailoa was taken of the injured reserve list, logged a full practice session, and looking to start after missing every game since Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills. Tagovailoa suffered a concussion in Week 2 and after waiting and going through the right steps, he's ready to take the field as even Hill said Wednesday that he has been missed by the star.
“He looked great,” Hill said via the team's transcripts. “Felt like old times, me and him connected on a few deep shots today and that kind of got me feeling good today. I missed that and I missed him. I told I’ve got to take him and his wife to dinner because I missed him so much. (Expletive) was so beautiful, that (expletive) almost made me cry today like just having him in the lineup, having him call the plays, having him direct the offense, like just hearing his voice. I know that sounds crazy, but he’s a big part of this team. You see why these quarterbacks get paid so much money, man, and just the respect I have for him, the respect this whole team has for him. We’re going to have his back no matter what, so glad to have him back.”
Dolphins' Tyreek Hill on the difference Tua Tagovailoa makes
Miami's offense has been a slog without Tagovailoa as Skylar Thompson started one game against the Seattle Seahawks and it was then Tyler Huntley the rest of the way. Last season, the Alabama product led the league in passing which led to Tagovailoa and the Dolphins signing a sizable extension as there is no doubt he “makes a lot of difference” as Hill said.
“It makes a lot of difference,” Hill said. “Tua (Tagovailoa) – him and Mike (McDaniel), they’ve got this real special connection. He allows Tua to be Tua. Tua has a connection with all the guys, all of us spend a lot of time with Tua so the connection is there. Then when you bring that all on the field, it magnifies everything that we do – throws are on time, play calling, the operation is faster. He just does a great job of commanding this offense.”
Hill currently has 24 catches for 294 yards and a touchdown as he's been limited since Tagovailoa's absence which both are hoping to bring explosiveness Sunday against the Cardinals.
