Tua Tagovailoa had a breakthrough 2022 season, but that’s not what we’ll remember about it. Instead of the league-leading 105.5 passer rating, the lingering images he left behind were of the head injuries he suffered last fall. Tagovailoa missed four games last year, throwing his future into question and raising concern about his well-being off the field.
The former first round pick isn’t ready to give up on his dream, so he’s working to make that weakness a strength in 2023. We already knew he’d been taking jiu-jitsu classes in order to school himself in the art of falling and rolling to avoid excess damage. Now, with organized team activities (OTAs) underway in Miami, he’s showing off phase two of his development; a bigger, bulkier frame and stronger core.
Tua Tagovailoa returned to the field bigger & stronger gaining several pounds, I’m told, and donning a new helmet.
Hope is the changes + Tua’s jiu jitsu training help him stay healthy so Dolphins reach potential as 💨 elite offense & contender.
From @nflnetwork @NFLTotalAccess: pic.twitter.com/K3uSPVApbK
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) May 23, 2023
“The one thing I saw in practice today is Tua [Tagovailoa] looks bigger and stronger than the last time we saw him,” NFL Network reporter Cameron Wolfe explained on Total Access. “You see it in the core, you see it in the calves and, look, this time of year we always hear guys say they’re in the best shape of their career. But it’s important for Tua, one, because you get more zip on those passes which I saw today but also, having more size also helps with being able to take more contact and prevent some of those injuries we’ve seen really slow down Tua’s career.”
While the main takeaway is that Tagovailoa is insulating himself from a potential career-ending head injury, this also means it’s less likely he gets clowned this offseason for tossing up under-thrown deep shots to Tyreek Hill.
.@Tua 🚀 @Cheetah pic.twitter.com/HGALhokvkc
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) May 11, 2022
The fourth-year quarterback isn’t the only player to hit the weight room this season in Miami. Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, fresh off a 1,356-yard campaign, has also bulked up. He told Wolfe he hopes to “run some people over” after clocking in at 182 pounds last fall. The Dolphins will need both of those players to come up big as Miami navigates its way through a brutal schedule in hopes of recording the franchise’s first playoff win since Dave Wannstedt was head coach.
