Miami Dolphins rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will not be placed on the physically unable to perform list, coach Brian Flores announced Wednesday.
Flores told reporters that Tagovailoa passed his physical and will be a full participant in practice. The news on the fifth overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft is considered a positive after Tagovailoa sustained a serious hip injury that prematurely ended his 2019 season at Alabama.
“He’s through his physical,” Flores said, via the Miami Herald. “When there’s practice you’ll see him out there. … He’s not on PUP. There’s an acclimation period for the next two weeks. There’s strength and conditioning and walkthroughs.”
Flores noted that the starting quarterback job will not be “handed out” without competition between Tagovailoa, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Josh Rosen.
Tagovailoa left the storied Alabama program as No. 1 in school history in completion percentage (69.3 percent), touchdown passes in a season (43 in 2018) and career passing touchdowns (87). He threw for 7,442 yards in his 32 games with the Crimson Tide.
The Dolphins are scheduled to open the season on Sept. 13 against the division-rival Patriots in Foxborough, Mass.