Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa remains in the concussion protocol after being diagnosed with his second concussion of the season on Dec. 25. Jim Rassol/Associated Press

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa remains in the NFL’s concussion protocol and will not participate in the 2023 Pro Bowl, a person with knowledge of the matter told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the decision has not been announced officially.

Tagovailoa was diagnosed with his second concussion of the 2022 season more than a month ago, after a Dec. 25 loss to Green Bay. He missed Miami’s final three games, including a playoff loss to Buffalo.

Tagovailoa had been selected as a Pro Bowl first alternate and would have replaced either Joe Burrow or Patrick Mahomes, one of whom will play in Super Bowl LVII after Sunday’s AFC Championship game.

The Pro Bowl will be held on Sunday Feb. 5, one week before the Super Bowl.

The Dolphins have repeated that they remain committed to Tagovailoa as their starter for the 2023 season.

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“That’s something that’s driven by the doctors,” Miami Coach Mike McDaniel said after the season ended. “They’re the experts in those fields, and when they tell us that he’s ready to play and as we expect, when they tell us that he’s ready to play coming in the spring or whatever, then we’ll press forward in that direction.”

Miami General Manager Chris Grier said that after conversations with doctors provided through the NFL’s players union, they do not believe that Tagovailoa is more susceptible to concussions than any other player.

Tagovailoa was concussed Sept. 29 at Cincinnati after a scary hit that briefly knocked him unconscious. He was stretchered off the field and returned in Week 7.

Tagovailoa took another hard hit four days before the Cincinnati game in a win over Buffalo. He appeared to show concussion symptoms but stayed in the game, and the team immediately after the game said that he had a back injury.

The NFL later changed its concussion protocol to mandate that any player who shows possible concussion symptoms – including a lack of balance or stability – sit out the remainder of a game.

Tagovailoa threw for a career-high 3,548 yards and 25 touchdowns in his third season. He led the NFL in passer rating.

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RAMS: Los Angeles hired former New York Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur to join Sean McVay’s quest to fix one of the least productive offenses in the league.

LaFleur spent the past two years with the Jets in his first stint as an NFL offensive coordinator, but New York struggled statistically in both years while missing the playoffs twice. He parted ways with the Jets (7-10) three days after the regular season ended.

LaFleur will follow in the footsteps of his older brother, Matt, by becoming Los Angeles’ offensive coordinator under coach Sean McVay, who has called the Rams’ plays and been in near-complete control of the offense throughout his six-year tenure.

McVay has publicly battled burnout exacerbated by a self-described inability to delegate during his Rams tenure, but he hasn’t said whether he plans to give more responsibility to LaFleur or his other assistants as he enters his seventh season in charge.

The Rams (5-12) wrapped up the worst season in NFL history by a defending Super Bowl champion this month. McVay’s offense has been one of the NFL’s best and most influential during his tenure, but Los Angeles finished last in the league in total yards and 27th in scoring after losing several significant players to injury, including Matthew Stafford, Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp, No. 2 receiver Allen Robinson and most of the offensive line.

Offensive coordinator Liam Coen then left the Rams after one season to return to Kentucky, where he spent a successful 2021 season as the Wildcats’ offensive coordinator.

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The Rams’ previous offensive coordinator was Kevin O’Connell, who became the Minnesota Vikings’ head coach shortly after the Rams’ Super Bowl victory a year ago.

FALCONS: Atlanta found its new defensive coordinator from an NFC South rival’s coaching staff by hiring Ryan Nielsen, the former New Orleans Saints co-defensive coordinator.

Nielsen replaces Dean Pees, 73, who retired on Jan. 9 following two seasons in charge of the defense on coach Arthur Smith’s staff.

The Falcons also announced three defensive assistants will not return next season: defensive line coach Gary Emanuel, outside linebackers coach Ted Monachino and secondary coach Jon Hoke.


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