Sunday’s NFL schedule originally offered a game of high interest for Alabama football fans – the fourth meeting of former Crimson Tide quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones and the first with late-season playoff implications for both their teams.

But on Monday, Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel announced the stunning news that Tagovailoa had entered the league’s concussion protocol, even though Dr. Allen Sills, the NFL’s chief medical officer, said the quarterback had exhibited no behavior in Sunday’s 26-20 loss to the Green Bay Packers “that would have triggered the protocol.”

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On Wednesday, McDaniel said Teddy Bridgewater would start at quarterback for Miami against the New England Patriots at noon CST Sunday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

“I love Tua,” Jones said during a press conference on Wednesday. “I think he’s a great dude. I was fortunate to learn from him and be his friend, obviously, at Alabama. Obviously, he’s had kind of a tough year here with the injury stuff, but also has had a great year, has played really well in almost every game, so tough to hear that news.

“I have all the respect for him, his family, his brother, everybody. It’s a great family. Hope he feels better.”

Jones and Tagovailoa were teammates for three seasons at Alabama. Jones moved into the starting lineup when Tagovailoa suffered a season-ending injury in the 10th game of the 2019 season.

In 2020, Jones was recognized as the consensus All-American quarterback, as Tagovailoa had been in 2018.

Tagovailoa joined the Dolphins as the fifth pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, and Jones joined the Patriots as the 15th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Jones’ first game came against Miami and Tagovailoa on Sept. 12, 2021. The Dolphins won that game 17-16, then defeated New England again 33-24 on the final Sunday of the 2021 regular season and 20-7 to open the 2022 schedule.

Jones has completed 70-of-99 passes for 755 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions against the Dolphins. Tagovailoa has completed 54-of-82 passes for 581 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions and run 11 times for 39 yards and one TD with Jones on the other side of the field.

Tagovailoa also was Miami’s starting QB when the Dolphins defeated New England 22-12 on Dec. 20, 2020. In Sunday’s game, Miami will be trying to post its first five-game winning streak against the Patriots since two games in 1999, two in 2000 and one in 2001.

Another win for Miami on Sunday would eliminate the Patriots from playoff contention while possibly clinching a postseason spot for the Dolphins. If the New York Jets lose to the Seattle Seahawks later on Sunday afternoon, that combination would put Miami in the playoffs.

This is the third known time this season that Tagovailoa has dealt with concussion issues.

On Sept. 25, Tagovailoa left the game against the Buffalo Bills with two minutes remaining in the first half after hitting the back of his head on the ground on a shot that resulted in a roughing-the-passer penalty. When Tagovailoa wobbled getting up, he went to the locker room.

But Tagovailoa was cleared by a team physician and the unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant at halftime, returned for the second half and rallied Miami to a 21-19 victory. Tagovailoa said after the game he had been unsteady because he hurt his back on a quarterback sneak earlier in the first half.

Four days later in the NFL’s Thursday night game for Week 4, Tagovailoa again left the field after a sack. But this time, he was taken off on a stretcher, and the evaluation did not send him back on the field, but to University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

Tagovailoa missed the next two games, but he had started the past nine Miami games.

As with Tagovailoa’s Sept. 25 injury, the NFL Players Association has requested an investigation into the handling of Tagovailoa’s current concussion.

The NFLPA exercised its prerogative to fire the unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant who cleared Tagovailoa to return to play against the Bills, and that investigation resulted in a change to the concussion protocol.

The term ataxia was added to the mandatory no-go symptoms, with ataxia defined as “abnormality of balance/stability, motor coordination or dysfunctional speech caused by a neurological issue.” A player diagnosed with ataxia by any club or neutral physician in the application of the concussion protocol will not be able to return to the game.

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