The Miami Dolphins are preparing to play at least their next four games without quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. That puts Skylar Thompson under center for the NFL team.
“Y’all have seen Skylar play before,” Miami wide receiver Jaylen Waddle said during a Monday press conference. “He’s real confident. We’re confident in his ability. He plays with a lot of swag out there, so it’s going to be fun. I’m excited.”
Thompson joined Miami from Kansas State in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Tagovailoa sustained two concussions in 2022 that caused him to miss four regular-season games and one playoff contest. Because backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater also got hurt in 2022, Thompson ended up playing in eight games. He started the sixth and 17th games of the regular-season and a first-round playoff contest.
In 2023, Thompson did not play as Tagovailoa started every game and Mike White served as his backup. This year, Thompson won the backup job over White.
Waddle said compensating for the loss of Tagovailoa would not be Thompson’s responsibility alone.
“Everybody has got to step up — from the run game to protections, especially the receivers — just to make his job a little easier,” Waddle said. “It’s going to be kind of flying bullets, but Skylar’s got a lot of ball, man. I think he’s going into his third year. He played in the playoffs and got some games underneath his belt, so I think he’s prepared for the moment.”
The receivers got extensive work with Thompson during the offseason and training camp, Waddle said, because Tagovailoa missed some practice work as contract-extension negotiations were taking place.
“He got reps with me, (wide receiver Tyreek Hill), the ones,” Waddle said, “and through contract negotiations with Tua, he stepped in and filled that void.”
Waddle and Tagovailoa were teammates at Alabama in the 2018 and 2019 seasons. The quarterback joined the Dolphins as the fifth pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, and the wide receiver came to Miami as the sixth pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
“That’s always sad when you see your guy go down like that,” Waddle said. “But we play a dangerous game, man. And I think that the whole world gets to see how dangerous this game is and how everybody puts their body on the line week-in and week-out. …
“He’s doing good, man. Talked to him, he’s in good spirits. Got the team in good spirits, and everybody’s praying for him and hoping for his health.”
