For the first time since he suffered a concussion on Sept. 29, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa participated fully in practice on Friday.

But he still will not play in the Dolphins’ game against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

MORE NFL:

· PATRIOTS QB MAC JONES ‘MAKING A GOOD IMPROVEMENT’

· DALLAS DEFENSIVE END: ‘THAT’S THE LAST QUESTION I’M GOING TO HEAR ABOUT JALEN HURTS’

· THURSDAY NIGHT: COMMANDERS HOLD OFF CHICAGO

Although Miami’s injury and practice-participation report for Friday indicates the former Alabama All-American has reached the final stage of the NFL’s concussion protocol, he has not been cleared, Miami coach Mike McDaniel said.

The fifth step in the NFL’s return-to-play plan for concussed players is the ability of the player to engage in full football activity. If the player can do that without setbacks, then the club physician can clear him to return. But first, the player must be examined by the independent neurological consultant assigned to the team to get the final OK.

Tagovailoa sustained a concussion in the Dolphins’ 27-15 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals and missed a 40-17 loss to the New York Jets on Sunday. Tagovailoa returned to practice as a limited participant on Wednesday, but McDaniel decided he would not play this week regardless of how much he progressed before Sunday.

Backup Teddy Bridgewater stepped in for Tagovailoa against the Jets, but he got hurt on the first snap and also is in the concussion protocol. He also practiced fully on Friday after missing Wednesday’s workout and practicing in a limited capacity on Thursday.

But McDaniel said Skylar Thompson would start against the Vikings. Thompson made his NFL debut on Sunday when Bridgewater went down.

RELATED: NFL WEEK 6: SCHEDULE, TV, ODDS AND ROUGHING-THE-PASSER

“We decided to start Skylar because we knew it was best for the team in terms of having the week to prepare and all of those things,” McDaniel said. “Nothing has changed. The team really believes in all three quarterbacks. That’s one thing we’ve been fortunate that we talked about since preseason is the luxury to have three quarterbacks at your disposal.”

If Bridgewater clears the concussion protocol on Saturday, then he would be active as Thompson’s backup on Sunday, McDaniel said. If Bridgewater remains in the protocol, Reid Sinnett would be elevated from the practice squad to back up Thompson.

McDaniel said Tagovailoa was staying engage as he works his way back to the playing field.

“He sees himself as a leader, which the whole team does,” McDaniel said on Friday. “And the team needs him this week in terms of his spirit, his encouragement. Skylar needs his help. He’s also a captain of this team, so he’s been very vocal. He was pushing us vocally yesterday at the start of team run. He was pushing the team.

“He’s really assumed – all of the things that aren’t football directly, he’s assumed the same responsibility, which I commend him and has residual effects because people are invested in Tua and they don’t want to let him down either.”

The Dolphins face the Vikings at noon CDT Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

Tagovailoa’s return date might be Oct. 23, when Miami hosts the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Week 7 Sunday night game.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.