JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 24: Tua Tagovailoa #1 of the Miami Dolphins looks on before the start of the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at TIAA Bank Field on September 24, 2020 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)Tua Tagovailoa looked very good in his second-ever start last weekend, a 34-31 win for the Miami Dolphins over the Arizona Cardinals. Days after the game, he admits that he’s still working his way back to 100-percent, after last college football season’s devastating hip injury.
Tagovailoa was never a true dual-threat player, but he’s very mobile and can be dangerous in the open field. He showed it Sunday, with a nice dead leg juke move he put on Cardinals’ two-time Pro Bowl safety Budda Baker to pick up a first down.
“I know he probably wasn’t expecting that,” Tua said afterwards. He completed 20-of-28 passes for 248 yards and two touchdowns Sunday, and picked up 35 yards on the ground. This week, however, he opened up a bit about where he is, health-wise.
“Oh, man,” Tagovailoa said, per The Palm Beach Post. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be my old self. You know, because when something dramatic like that happens, it’s just a continuous process for me.”
TUA!!!!! Put a nice move on Budda Baker! pic.twitter.com/LtMSSSOWtZ
— . (@FTBBurner11) November 8, 2020
Coming up on the one-year anniversary of the injury suffered during Alabama’s win over Mississippi State, Tua Tagovailoa took some time to reflect. Looking back to this time last year, it is very surprising that he is already playing meaningful NFL snaps for a playoff contender, and he indicates that he may not quite be fully healed, though you wouldn’t know it watching last week.
“It’s been a journey,” Tagovailoa continued. “Looking back at that whole process. Literally almost a year from now, we were making a decision to decide if I was going to be able to play again or not, so I’m just blessed to be here.”
Along with Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and Los Angeles Chargers’ Justin Herbert, Tua is part of a star-studded 2020 rookie class. He was the last out of the gates, and understandably so given the severity of last year’s injury, but he may see post-season action as the Miami Dolphins are surprisingly competitive in just year two under Brian Flores. This weekend, he faces Herbert, who has been sensational, even as his team struggles to close out games.
The Dolphins and Chargers kick off at 4:05 p.m. ET in Miami this Sunday.
