Miami will move forward with Tagovailoa at QB
MIAMI — Tua Tagovailoa now has a role to match his jersey number. He’s the Miami Dolphins’ No. 1 quarterback.
The former Alabama star will make his first NFL start next week for the Miami Dolphins, who are turning to him to replace Ryan Fitzpatrick, a person familiar with the team’s decision said Tuesday.
The person confirmed the decision to the Associated Press on condition on anonymity because the Dolphins hadn’t made an announcement.
The change by coach Brian Flores will come after the Dolphins’ bye this week and has been long anticipated, but the timing is surprising because the team won its past two games to improve to 3-3. Tagovailoa will start at home against the Los Angeles Rams on Nov. 1.
Tagovailoa made his pro debut in mop-up duty at the end of Miami’s 24-0 win Sunday over the Jets.
Touted as a potential franchise quarterback, the dynamic Tagovailoa raises the profile of a team that has been off the NFL radar for much of the past two decades. He was drafted in April with the fifth overall pick — the highest choice Miami has devoted to a quarterback since Bob Griese in 1967.
Tagovailoa is returning from a serious hip injury that cut short his Alabama career last November.
Fitzpatrick, 37, described himself during training camp as a placeholder. He is being benched even though he ranks fifth in the NFL in completion percentage.
Saints will have fans at games
The Saints will start
having fans in the stands for home games after New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell agreed with the team on a phased plan starting Sunday against Carolina.
The plan announced Tuesday will start with 3,000 tickets for Sunday’s game, increasing to 6,000 fans for November games with San Francisco and Atlanta and up to 15,000 in December for games against Kansas City and Minnesota barring any changes in local health and safety guidelines concerning COVID-19.
Odds and ends
Giants rookie linebacker Tae Crowder was placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury two days after scoring a game-winning touchdown on a fumble return in the final minutes against Washington. … The Bears signed former Notre Dame star linebacker Manti Teo to their practice squad. … The Rams signed veteran kicker Kai Forbath from the Bears’ practice squad after a rocky start to the season for rookie Samuel Sloman.