The Miami Dolphins quarterback situation as it relates to who's starting in Week 18 remains up in the air, head coach Mike McDaniel told reporters on Monday.
McDaniel said he's preparing for rookie third-stringer Skylar Thompson or veteran backup Teddy Bridgewater to start Sunday against the New York Jets as Tua Tagovailoa remains in the league's concussion protocol.
The Dolphins need to beat the Jets and have the New England Patriots lose to the Bills to earn a playoff berth for the first time since the 2016 season.
Bridgewater suffered a dislocated pinkie finger during Sunday's Week 17 loss to the Patriots, but McDaniel said it's too early to know about his availability and that more clarity on the situation would likely come Wednesday. Thompson also dealt with a bloodied fingernail against the Pats.
Tagovailoa remains in protocol, and McDaniel underscored that he hasn't thought about Tagovailoa's playing status, as his primary concern remains the QB's health.
With Bridgewater in the game on Sunday, the Dolphins built a 14-7 lead, but without him, the offense scuttled and the Patriots prevailed. Per McDaniel, the veteran signal-caller was pining to return to the game, but it would have been a precarious situation for Bridgewater.
The team is also bouncing around the option of adding another QB to the roster, per McDaniel.
The Dolphins face the Jets at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.
