A game back from a concussion suffered on September 12 against Buffalo quarterback Miami Dolphins Tua Tagovailoa they face the Bills again on Sunday.

The first meeting of 2024 between the AFC East rivals was not the first time the first Alabama The All-American suffered the injury in a game against Buffalo.

In Buffalo’s 35-0 win over Miami on September 19, 2021, Tagovailoa played just nine snaps. Fractured ribs sidelined the Dolphins QB for the next three games. In the 2021 rematch on October 31, Tagovailoa suffered a broken finger in a 26–11 loss, causing him to miss the next game.

On September 25, 2022, Tagovailoa went to the locker room after a roughing the passenger penalty with two minutes left in the first half because “his back was like Gumby or something.” He returned for the second half in Miami’s 21-19 win.

Tagovailoa said the beating he took from Buffalo won’t be on his mind Sunday.

“I’m a football player” Tagovailoa said. “Go there, if you have any of those thoughts, I think it’s time to say them, man. So go there, enjoy it. Enjoy being there. Enjoy this opportunity. I like it. I just love football and being out there with our guys.

“But nothing beats getting a win and we’re looking for our first win in a long time out there at Highmark Stadium on Sunday.”

The 2022 win is the Dolphins’ only win over Buffalo in the teams’ last 12 meetings.

Tagovailoa has a 1-7 record as the starting quarterback and a 74.1 passer efficiency against Buffalo. Against the rest of the NFL, Tagovailoa has a 32-14 record and a 100.1 passer efficiency rating.

“You have to find a way to beat them no matter what they look like.” Tagovailoa said. “That’s what, over the eight times we’ve played them and the seven times we’ve lost, that’s just been the recipe. I just couldn’t find a way to do it. Here’s another opportunity for us to do that.”

Tagovailoa played for the first time Sunday since he was injured in a 31-10 loss to Buffalo. Miami has scored three touchdowns in the four games Tagovailoa has missed. With Tagovailoa back at the helm, the Dolphins offense scored three touchdowns against Arizona.

Tagovailoa called the show “something we can build from”, but Miami lost to the Cardinals 28-27 on a field goal on the final play of the game.

That left the Dolphins with a 2-5 record and facing an uphill climb to reach the NFL playoffs for the third straight season.

“You have to get over it all” Tagovailoa said. “Sometimes those are just the cards you’re dealing with as a team. It’s not a problem for me; it’s a problem for us as a team. This is how we win games. I can’t defend myself. (Cornerback) Jalen Ramsey can’t come to play offense. That’s kind of how it works. These are the cards we’re dealing with, we have to stick together as a team. We have to continue to get stronger, stay in the film room, communicate with our guys.

“I don’t think anything is over until it’s actually over, so I think we have one more chance and we can do it. It starts this week against Buffalo, against a very good team, and we’ll see them on Sunday.”