Former Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa spoke with USA Today’s Chris Bumbaca about his transition into the NFL life, his health and his long-term vision with the Miami Dolphins.
After being the No. 5 overall selection in the 2020 NFL draft by the Miami Dolphins, Tagovailoa became an instant sports icon in South Florida. He is seen as a potential franchise-saving quarterback for a team that hasn’t seen much success in recent decades.
While keeping his name out of the headlines for most of this offseason, Tagovailoa has been quietly training, rehabbing and getting acquainted with his new team and its facilities.
The Coronavirus pandemic has paused all professional sports for a few months. Football, though, was in it’s offseason, which means players that were looking to train or rehab were out of luck, until recently.
Tagovailoa understands this year is going to be different for a variety of reasons, but a straight path to success is not something the former Crimson Tide star has seen much of in his career.
“This is totally different,” Tagovailoa tells Bumbaca. “And everyone’s experiences are different. You can ask for guidance from guys that have played before. But really, your experience is going to be different than everyone else’s. So you got to take it just day by day. Learn from the veterans. Learn from the guys, what they have to say. I think depending on how you take that information, and depending on how much you study and how much you do on your alone time, it’s going to dictate how successful or not successful you become, I think, in this league.”
With such an unprecedented offseason, and being restricted in so many different ways, he’s ready to get back on the field.
“I’d say I’m ready to go,” he said. “It’s kind of those things where you start getting the itch to get back out on the field, to be able to compete. It’s going to be a new setting, so that’s what’s even more exciting.”
His longing to get back on the field is now dependent on the coaching staff and the pandemic, as Tagovailoa claims to be just fine, medically, after having his 2019 season cut short at Alabama due to a fractured hip that required surgery.
“I think the way I stay myself is, I just go out there and do whatever I can to help the team,” said Tagovailoa. “If helping the team looks like me being on the sideline and telling (Ryan Fitzpatrick) what I’ve seen, then that’s what it is. Or whoever the quarterback is out there.”
Though, it’s also important to recognize that he’s willing to do what’s best for his new team, even if that means staying on the sidelines and helping out Miami’s presumptive starting quarterback, Ryan Fitzpatrick – for whom Tagovailoa has shown a great deal of respect toward.
“I have much respect for a guy like that,” Tagovailoa said. “The way he takes care of his body, the way he takes care of things off the field. He’s a coach in the meeting rooms for the offensive line, the receivers. I mean, he has the mindset of a coach but the heart of player. He plays like a player but the way he thinks, he thinks like a coach. Being able to be under someone like that and learn under someone like him, I really think you can only go up with your game.”
The Dolphins have been consistently falling behind in the AFC East in recent years, and have gone through numerous head coaches, coordinators and plenty of quarterbacks. The 2018 Heisman-finalist appears to have faith in what the Miami front office is putting together for the team’s future.
Finally, Tagovailoa is happy with how his team, and the league, are handling the return of football amid the Coronavirus pandemic.
“I’m confident in what the Dolphins are going to have us doing, as well as the NFL,” Tagovailoa said. “I think they have the (players’ best interests). I’d say as of right now, we just don’t know the full details of what our schedule is going to look like from a day-to-day process yet, as well as a week-to-week process.”
Roll Tide Wire will keep you updated on Tua Tagovailoa and how he transitions into his rookie season in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins!