CLEVELAND – The Miami Dolphins have downgraded quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to doubtful for Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns due to a hip injury.

Tagovailoa initially suffered the injury during the Dolphins’ loss to the Houston Texans in Week 15, but was able to finish the game and contribute to the team’s win over the San Francisco 49ers in Week 16.

He downplayed the injury earlier this week, describing it as typical wear and tear at this point in the season.

“I mean, it’s good. It’s just like everyone else on the team and everyone else in the league,” Tagovailoa said Thursday when asked how his hip was feeling. “Towards the end of the year you feel a little bit unwell, so you just have to deal with it.”

Tagovailoa was limited in every Dolphins practice this week and was initially listed as questionable to play on Sunday.

Tagovailoa suffered a severe hip fracture during his final season at Alabama in 2019, which put his playing career in jeopardy.

He was released in time for his rookie season; This would be the first time he would miss an NFL game due to a hip injury.

The next two weeks are crucial for the Dolphins, who can clinch a third straight playoff berth if they win both games, finish with a better record than the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos lose their two remaining games.

If Tagovailoa is unable to play on Sunday, Tyler Huntley would start at quarterback for the Dolphins, with Skylar Thompson serving as the primary backup. Huntley started three games for Miami this season, resulting in one win and two losses.

In those three starts, he completed 59% of his passes for 377 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception.

This would be a return to Cleveland of sorts for Huntley, who signed with the Browns as a free agent in March but was released in August. Miami signed Huntley from Baltimore’s practice squad in September after Tagovailoa suffered the third documented concussion of his NFL career.