Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa talks health and future with ESPN

by Junna Base November 12, 2024

Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was the subject of a segment on ESPN’s “Monday Night Countdown” before Miami’s game at the Los Angeles Rams.

Scott Van Pelt, Ryan Clark, Jason Kelce, Marcus Spears and guest analyst Drew Brees had an in-depth, long conversation about Tua’s health, his future and how the other guys on the field are playing next to him and against him.

Here are some highlights:

Tua said the Dolphins took a step forward in last week’s game against the Bills, but they need to continue to improve. “It doesn’t matter what you tell me, show me,” he said.

During the running game against Buffalo in September, when he suffered his third concussion, he said: “In the end I made a decision where obviously everyone who supported me and everyone who didn’t support me said, ‘Dude, what.’ are you doing?’ “
As he continued to play, he said: “If they (the doctors who examined him) had told me that I couldn’t play, I would definitely have considered it, but there were no conversations of that kind. … There never stuck.” In my opinion, I was thinking about retiring.

As for his legacy, he said: “I don’t want to be seen as a poster child for concussions.”

Drew Brees talks about Tua’s accommodations

Brees talked about Tua’s quick release and vision.

“He’s not the most heavily armed guy. And that’s nothing to worry about. That shows me that this guy had to make adjustments to survive,” Brees said. “Play with confidence and anticipation, see the field very well, be a master of coverage and spatial awareness and know where my guys are.”

The concern, Brees said, is when he will run.

Clark also spoke about Tagovailoa’s candidacy.

“Whether you’re Drew Brees and get it out of your hands quickly or you’re Matthew Stafford who never runs, there are going to be plays where you have to make split-second decisions that can make the difference.” between winning and losing,” Clark said. “For Tua Tagovailoa, it is also your life and your career. He made those decisions in the first two games. We’ll see what happens next with him.”

Spears said Tagovailoa will keep running if he knows he can put up the distance necessary to get the first down.

“The problem is you don’t always know where the linebackers are,” he said. “Tua has to protect himself. In my opinion, this is easier said than done.”

Kelce, a retired Pro Bowl offensive lineman, said you always try to protect the quarterback as best you can, but there’s only so much you can do in the trenches.

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