MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The wait is finally over for Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

After the expected news of his return from his concussion and injured reserve this week was officially rolled out Monday, Tagovailoa participated in his first practice Wednesday.

Tagovailoa, in a brief media viewing session of drills appeared sharp throwing passes to receivers running routes. All his throws appeared accurate, sans one that was placed just out of the reach of wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, leading him a bit too much on an in-breaking route.

Tagovailoa practiced for the first time since Sept. 10, marking nearly a month and a half between sessions. He suffered his latest concussion in the Sept. 12 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

The Dolphins (2-4) anticipate Tagovailoa can start Sunday’s pivotal home game against the Arizona Cardinals (3-4), at a point where any more losses to mediocre opponents puts Miami against the ropes in their playoff hopes before the halfway point of the regular season.

Tagovailoa’s presence could bring a morale boost to a team in need of one after going 1-3 in four games without him, averaging 10 points in those contests.

“The team will be very excited to have their quarterback back,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said. “During this stretch where he hasn’t been on the field, he’s at even a more powerful place with the team just based upon his feet on the ground and not just saying but showing his love for the team and his teammates is stronger than his individual circumstance. He signed up to play, not coach on the sidelines in the white.”

McDaniel highlighted Tagovailoa’s growing leadership by pointing out he had the most votes from his teammates when the group voted for captains ahead of the season.

Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who has been limited to 294 yards in six games as four different quarterbacks have thrown him passes this season, was understandably thrilled to have his No. 1 passer back on the practice field.

“We’re back, baby!” Hill said. “Strike up the f------ band! We’re back, baby!”

Hill, who last had one catch for eight yards Sunday in an ugly loss to the Indianapolis Colts without Tagovailoa, said his return should be what sparks the offense to get back on track.

He even had a message for fantasy football owners who might be frustrated by his statistical output early this season: “Start me this week, baby! Let’s go!”

Hill said he enjoyed catching a few downfield passes from Tagovailoa on Wednesday.

“It felt like old times,” he said. “I missed that. I told him I got to take him and his wife to dinner because I missed him so much, bro.”

The star wide receiver almost got emotional over it.

“That was so beautiful, it almost made me cry (Wednesday),” Hill said, “like just having him in the lineup, having him call the plays, having him direct the offense. Just hearing his voice — I know that sounds crazy.”

He noted the accuracy and timing of the passes coming his way from his quarterback and one specific downfield reception over the middle stood out.

“I just had a big cheese on my face, because it just felt so good,” Hill said. “Y’all don’t know what it does to me, man.”

Said fellow wide receiver Jaylen Waddle of the chemistry between Tagovailoa and Hill on Wednesday: “They were on one (Wednesday). Almost completed every ball he threw to ‘Reek. Anytime they’re vibing like that, it normally leads to big plays.”

Hill, Waddle, running back Raheem Mostert and others on the team are urging Tagovailoa to slide upon his return. His concussion occurred ramming his head into Bills safety Damar Hamlin’s body while scrambling up the middle for a first-down run on fourth down.

Tagovailoa has been symptom-free since the day that followed the concussion against Buffalo, but in order to play it safe and through the recommendation of medical professionals, the team placed him on IR, which caused him to miss four games minimum.

With Miami’s bye week also falling within that four-game stretch, Tagovailoa will now have 45 days — or six and a half weeks — between game appearances.

The lengthy layoff brings into focus the organization’s decision to place Tagovailoa on IR originally. It’s one McDaniel defended again Wednesday.

“The whole issue was that it needed time to rest for that injury, and so then that makes it pretty cut and dry,” McDaniel said. “Our training staff works with players 100 percent of the time to do right by them, and so as you’re acquiring the information and as you’re working through it, it’s pretty simple when the medical experts are advising you to do one thing.”

With Tagovailoa’s return anticipated, the Dolphins now have a question as to their backup quarterback Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium. After Tyler “Snoop” Huntley injured his throwing shoulder last Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium, he is not expected to be available.

Miami signed former 49ers and Jaguars quarterback C.J. Beathard to the practice squad Wednesday. McDaniel said it is between him, Tim Boyle and Skylar Thompson, who has been dealing with an ailing rib, as the options behind Tagovailoa against the Cardinals.

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