MIAMI GARDENS — Before we can think about Bills 31, Dolphins 10, before we can think about when Tua Tagovailoa will take another snap for the Miami Dolphins, before all of that, a question must be answered:

Is it in the best interest of Tua Tagovailoa, husband and father of two young children, to ever take another snap for the Miami Dolphins?

It gives no pleasure to write those words. But if you, the fan, care about Tua as much as so many of you have said you do, you have to face reality. The man suffered a concussion — another concussion — Thursday night, and it was bad enough that in a virtual blink of an eye, doctors declared Tagovailoa done for the night.

We don’t know how long it will take Tagovailoa to recover from this concussion. Good chance we won’t know for weeks.

More: Tua Tagovailoa concussion stuns Dolphins teammates. 'Really scary.'

But that’s maybe half the battle.

“I’m just worried about the human being,” coach Mike McDaniel said.

As well we all should.

That’s not hyperbole. Just think back to last year, when Tagovailoa admitted that during his 2022 season, when he suffered at least two concussions and possibly three, he considered retirement seriously enough to have a sit-down with his family. One thing that drove him back to the sport: his desire to play long enough for his son to see him play and understand exactly what it is Daddy does for a living.

Tagovailoa will see some of the best doctors, who, you would hope, have his best interest at heart. He’ll listen to his family again. He also might want to consider the chorus of retired players chiming in late Thursday and urging him to consider the bigger picture. Some said he should consider retiring. Some said he should walk away. They speak from experience, although their experience and Tagovailoa’s are two different things.

Tagovailoa wouldn’t have been in a Dolphins uniform Thursday night had it not been for his love of football. Even in the state he was in after running into safety Damar Hamlin, he was seen in the locker room postgame checking on teammates who of course had to wonder if their quarterback might have it backward.

There’s a reason so many were talking about Tua the person, not Tua the quarterback — and that even extended to Bills quarterback Josh Allen, who said you won’t find a better person than Tua anywhere.

Skylar Thompson sick to see Tua suffer another concussion

Skylar Thompson, the Dolphins’ backup quarterback and probable starter in the short term, said of seeing Tagovailoa go down, “It makes me sick. Everybody in the organization would say the same thing. So just really praying for Tua and hopefully everything will come out all right.”

Tagovailoa was injured scrambling on a fourth-and-4 play on the Buffalo 13 in the third quarter. He made it with 2 yards to spare, but was close enough to the line to gain that he likely thought he could not afford to slide and give up a few feet in the process. All the attention he’d paid toward learning how to fall could not help him this time. Instead, he collided with, of all players, Hamlin, who survived a near-fatal collapse on the field two years ago.

“I know he’s a dawg,” Hamlin said. “He’s a fighter. He’ll be back soon, for sure.”

Many tests await, which is why McDaniel, who detests timelines for injured players, would not speculate on whether Tagovailoa might land on injured reserve, keeping him out for at least a month. Given that, and given how close McDaniel and Tagovailoa have become in their two-plus seasons together, the coach also was not willing to drift deeply into whether it’s safe for Tagovailoa to play football.

“I don’t approach things that I’m far inferior of expertise,” McDaniel said. “I’m just there to support my teammate.”

Safe to say the entire 53-man squad needs a lift. Mind-boggling only begins to explain the start of the 2024 season for this team. How is it that: 1. Your star player ends up in handcuffs right outside the stadium before the opener; 2. You get blown out in Game 2 in your home stadium; and 3. Your team gets bullied after your players declare the desire to be the bullies this year — and yet none of that is the worst thing that happens? In just five days?

Day 6 may bring a shred of clarity for Tagovailoa and the Dolphins, but don’t expect much.

It’s going to take time to know what’s next for Tagovailoa.

If you care about him, hope that what comes next also is what’s best for the young man.

Dolphins reporter Hal Habib can be reached at  hhabib@pbpost.com. Follow him on social media @gunnerhal. Click here to subscribe.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Tua Tagovailoa concussion casts doubt on his future with Miami Dolphins