Dolphins QB Bridgewater leaves with injury against Jets

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Miami Dolphins linebacker Teddy Bridgewater left Sunday’s game against the New York Jets with what the team said was an elbow injury and was also being evaluated for a concussion.

Bridgewater, who started in place of the injured Tua Tagovailoa, was injured on the Dolphins’ first play. Miami shut out Bridgewater for the remainder of the game early in the second quarter.

Jets rookie cornerback Ahmad Gardner flashed and hit Bridgewater as he was about to throw. Bridgewater was called for an intentional touchdown in the end zone, leading to a safety and a 2-0 New York lead.

Bridgewater headed to the blue injury tent to get checked out and then went to the locker room with the doctors and trainers. He was replaced by third stringer Skylar Thompson.

Bridgewater started after Tagovailoa suffered a concussion in Miami’s previous game on Sept. 29 at Cincinnati. Tagovailoa took a hard hit in the first half and showed a fencing response after the hit. He was carried off the field and immediately taken to the hospital. He remains in the concussion protocol.

It came four days after Tagovailoa took a hit from Buffalo linebacker Matt Milan that caused him to fall to the ground. Afterward, he appeared disoriented and stumbled as he tried to get to his feet.

Tagovailoa was rushed to the locker room, went through the NFL’s concussion protocol — and was cleared of any head trauma. He started the third quarter, drawing widespread criticism as to why he was allowed to return.

On Saturday, the NFL and the NFL Players Association agreed to make changes to the league’s concussion protocol after a joint investigation into the procedures following Tagavailoa’s back injury. The league and players’ union said in a joint statement that while the Dolphins followed protocol after the injury, the outcome of Tagavailoa’s case “was not as planned when the protocol was drawn up.”

As a result, language regarding impaired balance/stability was added to the league’s list of symptoms that prevent a player from returning to play.

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AP sports writer Alanis Thames contributed to this report.

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