Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is out for the AFC wild-card game at Buffalo on Sunday.

Tagovailoa has not cleared concussion protocol and is prohibited from football activities. Head coach Mike McDaniel said Wednesday that Tagovailoa officially has been ruled out, and the Dolphins are preparing rookie Skylar Thompson to start against the Bills.

Tagovailoa is in the protocol for the third time this season after self-reporting symptoms following a Week 16 loss to the Green Bay Packers. The Dolphins broke a five-game losing streak and won a wild-card spot with a 9-8 record by virtue of their 11-6 win over the New York Jets on Sunday.

Thompsonm a seventh-round pick in the 2022 draft, was 20 of 31 for 152 passing yards in Week 18, drawing the starting assignment over Teddy Bridgewater. Bridgewater was active last week but limited by an injury to the pinkie finger on his right hand.

Miami is fixed on the short-term, McDaniel said, which includes winning at Buffalo and getting Tagovailoa healthy. The first-year head coach didn’t want to discuss any long-term plans for the quarterback position, only saying the focus is on helping Tagovailoa “getting to full health as a human being.”

McDaniel said the Dolphins aren’t ruling out running back Raheem Mostert this week despite a broken thumb. Mostert leads the Dolphins with 891 rushing yards.

–Field Level Media