AFC Notes: Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Dolphins

Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa‘s younger brother, Maryland QB Taulia Tagovailoa, offered his opinion on his brother’s injury situation with a concussion. 

“Everyone has their opinion,” Taulia Tagovailoa said, via Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press. “My brother, I know he works hard. I know he has a family now. I want my brother to be safe, but at the same time I know that he has a love and a passion for football. I feel like he is going to make the right decision. The biggest thing is staying safe, so that is something he has to pray on. I know when it comes down to it, he will make the right decision.”

Taulia is confident that Tua will continue playing football “until the wheels fall off.”

“I just feel like he’s not going to stop playing football,” Taulia said. “I feel like every opportunity he has, he is going to try to play. I don’t know, it’s just ‘go until the wheels fall off.’”

• Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel confirmed that QB Tua Tagovailoa is still in the league’s concussion protocol but looked improved on Friday. (Cameron Wolfe)
• McDaniel added that LT Terron Armstead (toe, pectoral) will be a game-time decision for Week 17: “We’ll see if he can give it a go. He knows our team is best served when he’s out there, but he has an obligation to the team because we do have other players very much capable that he doesn’t need to put himself in harm’s way.” (Barry Jackson)
• McDaniel confirmed that Tagovailoa has been riled out from Week 17 while OLB Bradley Chubb (hand) and FB Alec Ingold (thumb) are game-time decisions. (Barry Jackson)

Jets

Jets QB Mike White has a big opportunity in the final two games of the season with New York still alive for a playoff berth, though they need some help. If he plays well, he could put himself in the conversation for the Jets or another team as a starter in 2023. However, HC Robert Saleh wasn’t ready to think that far ahead. 

“One day at a time on that one,” Saleh said via the Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt. “We’ve got two (games) now. … I think one thing that (GM Joe Douglas) is really big on, and myself, is that everything is always going to be evaluated after every single day. Not just after every week, or after every season, so like I’ve said before, we’re always going to do what’s best for the organization. There is still a lot of information to gather.”

Patriots

• ESPN’s Dan Graziano writes that if Patriots HC Bill Belichick shakes up the offensive coaching staff — which doesn’t yet seem to be a given — he still expects him to retain Matt Patricia and Joe Judge in other roles on the staff. 
• Although Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated thinks Patricia will be back for 2023, he’s unsure if Patricia will continue calling plays and the matter will be at the “top of their list” of things to discuss this offseason. 
• Patriots ST coordinator Cam Achord said that P Jake Bailey (back) is still practicing and has a chance to be activated from the injured reserve: “We’re going to continue to work with him, day to day here, moving it forward and see how it goes. The biggest thing – you don’t want to rush a guy back.” (Mike Reiss)
• Patriots CB Marcus Jones didn’t practice on Wednesday due to a concussion. (Doug Kyed)