Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa ‘excited’ as he hosts fundraiser event, eyes offseason workouts
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, speaking Monday night at Hard Rock Hotel for his second annual South Florida “Luau with Tua” fundraiser event, said he’s excited for the start of Miami’s offseason workout program next Monday after a second diagnosed concussion prematurely ended his 2022 season.
“I’m very excited,” he said. “I’m excited to get back out there, get to meet a lot of the newer guys, get to meet guys that have been in this system for a whole year now.”
The comments marked Tagovailoa’s first to local reporters since Christmas Day. Tagovailoa spent over a month in the NFL’s concussion protocol but has since been cleared and is expected to be a full participant when offseason workouts begin next week.
2022 was a breakout season for Tagovailoa, who threw a career-high 25 touchdown passes. But he was sidelined for the Dolphins’ final three games, including a season-ending loss to the Buffalo Bills in the wild-card round after sustaining a concussion against the Green Bay Packers on Dec. 25.
Despite questions about Tagovailoa’s spate of head injuries this past season, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier said medical professionals told them that he is not prone to future concussions. Tagovailoa has been partaking in jiu jitsu this offseason to work on the way he falls and avoid future head injuries.
The Dolphins furthered their commitment to Tagovailoa, exercising his fifth-year option last month, which keeps him under contract through the 2024 season. With a notable offseason that included Miami’s trade for All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey and the hiring of defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, Tagovailoa will once again be under center for a team that has Super Bowl aspirations.
Tagovailoa began offseason training after the conclusion of the Super Bowl and has conducted throwing sessions with teammates such as wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
“Offseason training has been good,” Tagovailoa said. “[I have] been working on my strength in many areas and chipping away at things that I feel like I needed to work on to get where I feel I can get to in the later parts of the season.”
Wearing a plaid grey suit and white Prada shoes, Tagovailoa was in good spirits for the event that raises funds for his Tua Foundation. The night had a Hawaiian-themed backdrop with odes to the Polynesian and Samoan culture, including leis given to guests and traditional dance performances. Attendees included head coach Mike McDaniel, Dolphins legend Jason Taylor and a host of teammates.
This story was originally published April 10, 2023 at 7:58 PM.
