Tua Tagovailoa
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Tuanigamanuolepola Donny Tagovailoa ( ; born March 2, 1998) is an American professional
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
quarterback The quarterback (QB) is a position in gridiron football who are members of the offensive side of the ball and mostly line up directly behind the Lineman (football), offensive line. In modern American football, the quarterback is usually consider ...
for the
Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Dolphins compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team ...
of the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
(NFL). He played
college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...
for the
Alabama Crimson Tide The Alabama Crimson Tide refers to the college athletics in the United States, intercollegiate athletic varsity teams that represent the University of Alabama, located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide teams compete in the Na ...
and was named the Offensive MVP of the
2018 College Football Playoff National Championship The 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship was a college football bowl game played on January 8, 2018, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, and was televised nationally by ESPN. The fourth College Football Playoff N ...
during his freshman season. As a sophomore, Tagovailoa won the
Maxwell Maxwell may refer to: People * Maxwell (surname), including a list of people and fictional characters with the name ** James Clerk Maxwell, mathematician and physicist * Justice Maxwell (disambiguation) * Maxwell baronets, in the Baronetage of N ...
and
Walter Camp Walter Chauncey Camp (April 7, 1859 – March 14, 1925) was an American college football player and coach, and sports writer known as the "Father of American Football". Among a long list of inventions, he created the sport's line of scrimmage a ...
awards en route to an appearance in the 2019 National Championship. After his junior season was cut short by a hip injury, Tagovailoa was selected fifth overall by the Dolphins in the
2020 NFL draft The 2020 NFL draft was the 85th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible players for the 2020 NFL season. The first round was held on April 23, followed by the second and third rounds on April 24. The ...
. He spent his rookie season alternating as a backup and starter before becoming the team's primary starter in 2021. Tagovailoa led the league in passer rating in 2022 and passing yards in 2023, earning
Pro Bowl The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (since 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's All-star, star players. The format has changed ...
honors in the latter, and helping the Dolphins qualify for the playoffs both seasons. He currently ranks second all-time in completion percentage with at least 1,500 pass attempts and is ninth in the NFL's all-time regular season career passer rating.


Early life

Tagovailoa was born in
ʻEwa Beach, Hawaii Ewa Beach () or simply Ewa (; ) is a census-designated place (CDP) located in Ewa District and the Honolulu County, Hawaii, City & County of Honolulu along the coast of Māmala Bay on the leeward side of Oahu, Oahu in Hawaii. As of the United St ...
, to Galu and Diane Tagovailoa, as the oldest of four children in a Samoan family. He was said to have grown up with an intense interest in football, with his parents noting that he slept with a football under his arm every night as a small child. During
Pop Warner Glenn Scobey Warner (April 5, 1871 – September 7, 1954), most commonly known as Pop Warner, was an American college football coach at various institutions who is responsible for several key aspects of the modern game. Included among his inn ...
games when he was eight years old, when his peers could typically throw a football little more than 10 yards, he routinely threw passes of more than 30 yards. As a child, his main inspiration was his grandfather Seu Tagovailoa. He was highly respected in the local Samoan community and was regularly addressed as "Chief Tagovailoa". Seu believed that Tagovailoa would eventually grow into a football star and he requested that he visit him after every game to report his progress. Tagovailoa briefly considered quitting the sport after Seu's death in 2014 until he and his father agreed that he could best honor him by continuing to play. When Tagovailoa began varsity high school football in at
Saint Louis School Saint Louis School, located in the neighborhood of St. Louis Heights in Honolulu, Hawaii, is a historic Catholic college preparatory school for boys. It was founded in 1846 to serve Catholics in the former Kingdom of Hawaii. Located within the ...
, he threw for 33 passing
touchdown A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Scoring a touchdown grants the team that scored it 6 points. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchd ...
s during his first season with three interceptions and 2,583 passing yards. Tagovailoa said a big inspiration and motivation for his performance was how his father disciplined him, saying he used a belt whenever Tagovailoa threw an interception. In 2016, Tagovailoa played in the
All-American Bowl The All-American Bowl was an annual postseason college football bowl game played at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama from 1977 to 1990. The game was known as the Hall of Fame Classic from 1977 to 1985. In 1986, the National Football Foundatio ...
, and in his regular season threw for 2,669 passing yards with 27 passing touchdowns and seven interceptions. He was also chosen to be a part of the
Elite 11 Elite 11 is a quarterback competition for high school quarterbacks. Elite 11 was founded in 1999 by Andy Bark and is run by his company Student Sports. Rising seniors participate in the contest. The quarterbacks submit videos of themselves pla ...
roster as one of the top high school quarterbacks in the nation, where he was named MVP of that roster. Throughout his career, fans and announcers alike had difficulty pronouncing Tagovailoa's name. He educated people on his culture by teaching them the correct pronunciation. Tagovailoa was deemed a four-star recruit during the 2017 recruiting cycle and was ranked the top high school prospect in the state of
Hawaii Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...
. He attended
Saint Louis School Saint Louis School, located in the neighborhood of St. Louis Heights in Honolulu, Hawaii, is a historic Catholic college preparatory school for boys. It was founded in 1846 to serve Catholics in the former Kingdom of Hawaii. Located within the ...
in
Honolulu Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...
, the same school as 2014
Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy ( ; also known simply as the Heisman) is awarded annually since 1935 to the top player in college football. It is considered the most prestigious award in the sport and is presented by the Heisman Trophy Trust followin ...
winner
Marcus Mariota Marcus Ardel Taulauniu Mariota (born October 30, 1993) is an American professional American football, football quarterback for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Oregon Ducks footb ...
, where Mariota served as a mentor to him when they were growing up in Hawaii. He had 17 offers to play on a college football scholarship before eventually enrolling at the
University of Alabama The University of Alabama (informally known as Alabama, UA, the Capstone, or Bama) is a Public university, public research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States. Established in 1820 and opened to students in 1831, the University of ...
in January 2017. Tagovailoa likened Alabama's hospitality to Hawaii's when picking the school, and credits Alabama's church-going culture for making it feel more similar to his home state. Tagovailoa's 'pastor dad' also had a vision that he would go on to play at Alabama, despite the lack of recruitment out of Hawaii by the school.


College career


2017 season

As a
true freshman The following terms are used in American football, both conventional and indoor. Some of these terms are also in use in Canadian football; for a list of terms unique to that code, see '' Glossary of Canadian football''. 0–9 ...
, Tagovailoa was the backup to sophomore quarterback
Jalen Hurts Jalen Alexander Hurts (born August 7, 1998) is an American professional American football, football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). Hurts began his college football career with the Alabama Crims ...
throughout the 2017 season. However, he experienced significant playing time due to a couple of blowout victories for the Crimson Tide. On September 9, he made his collegiate debut against
Fresno State California State University, Fresno (Fresno State) is a public university in Fresno, California, United States. It is part of the California State University system. The university had a fall 2020 enrollment of 25,341 students. It offers 60 ba ...
in a home game at
Bryant–Denny Stadium Saban Field at Bryant–Denny Stadium is an outdoor stadium in the Southeastern United States, on the campus of the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Tuscaloosa. It is the home field of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team of the S ...
. In the 41–10 victory, he finished 6-of-9 for 64 yards and his first career passing touchdown, which was a 16-yard pass to wide receiver
Henry Ruggs Henry James Ruggs III (born January 24, 1999) is an American former professional football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for two seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders. He played college football for the Alabama Crims ...
. On September 23, in a 59–0 victory against Vanderbilt, he got more playing time and recorded 103 passing yards and two passing touchdowns. In the next game, against SEC West rival
Ole Miss OLE, Ole or Olé may refer to: * Olé, a cheering expression used in Spain * Ole (name), a male given name, includes a list of people named Ole * Overhead lines equipment, used to transmit electrical energy to trams, trolleybuses or trains Co ...
, he recorded his first collegiate rushing touchdown in a 66–3 victory. In the annual rivalry game against
Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...
, he finished with 134 passing yards, one passing touchdown, one interception, and one rushing touchdown in the 45–7 victory. On November 18, in a game against
Mercer Mercer may refer to: Business * Mercer (automobile), a defunct American automobile manufacturer (1909–1925) * Mercer (consulting firm), a human resources consulting firm headquartered in New York City, US * Mercer (occupation), a merchant or tra ...
, he threw for three passing touchdowns in the 56–0 victory. On January 8, 2018, he replaced Hurts in the second half of the
2018 College Football Playoff National Championship The 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship was a college football bowl game played on January 8, 2018, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, and was televised nationally by ESPN. The fourth College Football Playoff N ...
due to ineffective play by Hurts. He threw the game-winning 41-yard touchdown pass in overtime to another true freshman, wide receiver
DeVonta Smith DeVonta Smith ( ; born November 14, 1998) is an American professional football wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide, where he recorded over 1,800 ...
as Alabama defeated
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
, 26–23, claiming their 17th National Championship. He finished the game 14-of-24 for 166 passing yards, three passing touchdowns and one interception, along with 27 rushing yards on 12 attempts. Tagovailoa was named the Offensive MVP of the game. After winning the National Championship, Tagovailoa emphasized how important it was to him to make his home state of Hawaii proud of his success on the football field.


2018 season

left, 225px, Tagovailoa with Alabama in 2018. On September 1, 2018, Tagovailoa made his first career start at the season's opening game, against
Louisville Louisville is the most populous city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, sixth-most populous city in the Southeast, and the 27th-most-populous city in the United States. By land area, it is the country's 24th-largest city; however, by populatio ...
, in
Orlando, Florida Orlando ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, Florida, United States. The city proper had a population of 307,573 at the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Florida behind Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville ...
. He finished 12-of-16, with 227 passing yards and two touchdowns in the 51–14 victory, before Jalen Hurts replaced him in the third quarter. During Alabama head coach Nick Saban's weekly Monday press conference following the victory, he announced Tagovailoa as the starter for the Crimson Tide's home opener against
Arkansas State Arkansas State University (A-State or ASU) is a public research university in Jonesboro, Arkansas, United States. It is the flagship campus of the Arkansas State University System and the second-largest university in the state. The university ...
on September 8. In the 62–7 victory over
Ole Miss OLE, Ole or Olé may refer to: * Olé, a cheering expression used in Spain * Ole (name), a male given name, includes a list of people named Ole * Overhead lines equipment, used to transmit electrical energy to trams, trolleybuses or trains Co ...
, he was 11-of-15 for 191 passing yards and two touchdowns to go along with 47 rushing yards. He continued his efficient season against
Texas A&M Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, TA&M, or TAMU) is a public university, public, Land-grant university, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas, United States. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of ...
with 387 passing yards, four passing touchdowns, and a rushing touchdown in the 45–23 victory. In a limited role against
Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...
, he was 8-of-8 passing for 128 passing yards and two passing touchdowns in the 56–14 victory. In the next game against
Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...
, he had more passing touchdowns than incompletions as he went 10-of-13 for 334 passing yards and four passing touchdowns in the 65–31 victory. Following the regular season, he finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting to Oklahoma quarterback
Kyler Murray Kyler Cole Murray (born August 7, 1997) is an American professional football quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). Following one season of college football with the Texas A&M Aggies, Murray played for the ...
, but he won the
Walter Camp Award The Walter Camp Player of the Year Award is given annually to the collegiate American football player of the year, as decided by a group of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I FBS head coaches and sports information direc ...
and
Maxwell Award The Maxwell Award is presented annually to the college football player judged by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters, and National Collegiate Athletic Association head coaches and the membership of the Maxwell Football Club to be the best all ...
for 2018, both awarded to the top player in college football. While recovering from the high ankle sprain he suffered during the SEC Championship against
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
, Tagovailoa put on a nearly flawless offensive performance against
Oklahoma Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...
in the 2018 Orange Bowl (24-of-27 with 318 yards passing, four touchdowns and no interceptions) to lead the Tide to their fourth consecutive CFP National Championship appearance. He was also named Offensive MVP of that game. In the 2019 National Championship, Tagovailoa went 22-of-34 with 295 passing yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in a 44–16 loss to Clemson. He also set a new
NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...
FBS passer rating record of 199.4 for the season, surpassing the record 198.9 set by
Baker Mayfield Baker Reagan Mayfield (born April 14, 1995) is an American professional football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Oklahoma Sooners ...
in 2017.


2019 season

Tagovailoa began his junior season at the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game with a victory against
Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of Royal family, royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobi ...
in
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
. He finished 26-of-31 with 336 passing yards and four touchdowns before sitting out the fourth quarter. The second game of the season was a home opener victory against
New Mexico State New Mexico State University (NMSU or NM State) is a Public university system, public, Land-grant university, land-grant, research university in Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States. Founded in 1888, it is the state's oldest public institution ...
. Tagovailoa finished that game 16-of-24 with 227 passing yards and four total touchdowns before sitting out the fourth quarter. In his third game of the season, a victory against
South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...
, Tagovailoa finished 28-of-36 with 444 passing yards and five touchdowns. In the Tide's 49–7 victory against Southern Miss, Tagovailoa finished 17-of-21 with 293 passing yards and five touchdowns. In the Tide's fifth game, a victory against
Ole Miss OLE, Ole or Olé may refer to: * Olé, a cheering expression used in Spain * Ole (name), a male given name, includes a list of people named Ole * Overhead lines equipment, used to transmit electrical energy to trams, trolleybuses or trains Co ...
, Tagovailoa finished 26-of-36 with 418 passing yards and seven total touchdowns. In the Tide's 47–28 victory against
Texas A&M Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, TA&M, or TAMU) is a public university, public, Land-grant university, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas, United States. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of ...
, Tagovailoa finished 21-of-34 with 293 passing yards, four touchdowns, and one interception. Tagovailoa left the Tide's seventh game against
Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...
early in the second quarter after suffering a high ankle sprain. He underwent surgery to repair the ankle the following day, and did not play in the next game against
Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...
(a 48–7 victory led by quarterback
Mac Jones Michael McCorkle "Mac" Jones (born September 5, 1998) is an American professional football quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). Jones played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide, where he set t ...
). Tagovailoa returned three weeks post-surgery to play in the 46–41 loss to top-ranked
LSU Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as Louisiana State University (LSU), is an American Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louis ...
. Despite some struggles (a fumble and INT) in the first half of that game, Tagovailoa rebounded after halftime to finish 21-of-40 with 413 passing yards, four touchdowns, and one interception. In the Tide's matchup against
Mississippi State Mississippi State University for Agriculture and Applied Science, commonly known as Mississippi State University (MSU), is a public land-grant research university in Mississippi State, Mississippi, United States. It is classified among "R ...
, Tagovailoa led the team to a 35–7 lead (14-of-18, 256 passing yards, two touchdowns) before leaving the game after a sack that saw his knee driven into the ground, causing his hip to dislocate and fracturing the posterior wall of his acetabulum, as well as suffering a broken nose and concussion. He was carted off the field and flown to a Birmingham hospital before undergoing surgery in Houston two days later. In January 2020, Tagovailoa announced that he would forgo his senior year and enter the
2020 NFL draft The 2020 NFL draft was the 85th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible players for the 2020 NFL season. The first round was held on April 23, followed by the second and third rounds on April 24. The ...
. Tagovailoa finished his collegiate career as holder of numerous Alabama football records, as well as notable NCAA career records, including: passing yards per attempt (10.9), adjusted passing yards per attempt (12.7), passing efficiency rating (199.4), and total yards per play (9.8). He graduated with a bachelor's degree in
communication studies Communication studies (or communication science) is an academic discipline that deals with processes of human communication and behavior, patterns of communication in interpersonal relationships, social interactions and communication in differ ...
in August 2020.


College statistics


Professional career


2020 NFL draft

Tagovailoa was projected to be taken first overall in the
2020 NFL draft The 2020 NFL draft was the 85th annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible players for the 2020 NFL season. The first round was held on April 23, followed by the second and third rounds on April 24. The ...
until his season-ending injury led to
LSU Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as Louisiana State University (LSU), is an American Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louis ...
quarterback and 2019
Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy ( ; also known simply as the Heisman) is awarded annually since 1935 to the top player in college football. It is considered the most prestigious award in the sport and is presented by the Heisman Trophy Trust followin ...
winner
Joe Burrow Joseph Lee Burrow (born December 10, 1996) is an American professional American football, football quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes football, O ...
supplanting him as the draft's top prospect. Despite injury concerns, however, Tagovailoa was selected fifth overall by the
Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Dolphins compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team ...
. Tagovailoa was also the first left-handed quarterback to be drafted by an NFL team since
Tim Tebow Timothy Richard Tebow (; born August 14, 1987) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons, primarily with the Denver Broncos. Tebow played college football for t ...
in 2010. Because his college jersey number of 13 was retired by the Dolphins in honor of
Dan Marino Daniel Constantine Marino Jr. ( ; born September 15, 1961) is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons with the Miami Dolphins. He played college f ...
, Tagovailoa chose to wear number 1.


2020 season

Tagovailoa signed his four-year rookie contract, worth $30 million, on May 11, 2020. He passed his physical with the team in July 2020 to begin
training camp A training camp is an organized period in which military personnel or athletes participate in a rigorous and focused schedule of training in order to learn or improve skills. Athletes typically utilise training camps to prepare for upcoming events ...
, but was named the backup to
Ryan Fitzpatrick Ryan Joseph Fitzpatrick (born November 24, 1982) is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons. Fitzpatrick started at quarterback for nine teams, the ...
to start the season. Tagovailoa made his debut appearance in a Week 6 game against the
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...
, coming in relief of Fitzpatrick in the fourth quarter of a 24–0 win where he threw two passes for nine yards. His NFL appearance was the first for a left-handed quarterback since
Kellen Moore Kellen Christopher Moore (born July 5, 1988) is an American professional football coach and former quarterback who is the head coach for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Boise Sta ...
in 2015. During the team's bye week, Tagovailoa was named the starter for their Week 8 game against the
Los Angeles Rams The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West ...
. On Tagovailoa's first career pass attempt as a starter, he was strip-sacked by
Aaron Donald Aaron Charles Donald (born May 23, 1991) is an American former professional football defensive tackle who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons with the St. Louis / Los Angeles Rams franchise. He is considered one of the gr ...
. Later in the game, Tagovailoa recorded his first career touchdown on a pass thrown to DeVante Parker. In Week 11 against the
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...
, Tagovailoa threw for 83 yards and a touchdown before being replaced by Fitzpatrick early in the fourth quarter with the Broncos leading 20–10. Tagovailoa jammed his thumb in practice prior to a Week 12 game against the Jets and missed the game. He made his return in Week 13 against the
Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its h ...
, where he threw for 296 yards and a touchdown during a 19–7 win. In Week 14 during a narrow 33–27 defeat against the
Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division. Established in 1959 ...
, Tagovailoa eclipsed the 300 passing yard mark in the NFL for the first time by passing for 316 yards and two touchdowns, plus with an additional rushing touchdown. His performance earned him Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week honors for back-to-back weeks. In Week 16 against the
Las Vegas Raiders The Las Vegas Raiders are a professional American football team based in the Las Vegas Valley, Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Raiders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West ...
, Tagovailoa threw for 94 yards and a touchdown before being benched in favor of Fitzpatrick again in the fourth quarter. In Week 17 against the
Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East div ...
, needing a win for the Dolphins to qualify for the playoffs, Tagovailoa threw for a career-high 361 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions as Miami lost 56–26. The Dolphins missed the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year, and for the 17th time in the 21 seasons since the retirement of Dan Marino.


2021 season

Tagovailoa led the Dolphins to a Week 1 win over the
New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. The Patriots compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The Pa ...
, their divisional rivals. During Week 2 against the Bills, Tagovailoa suffered a rib injury early in the game, and was carted off the field on a motorized stretcher, not returning in that game. Tagovailoa was later ruled out for the Dolphins Week 3 matchup against the Raiders, as it was revealed that he had fractured several ribs. He was then placed on injured reserve on September 25, 2021, and returned from injury in Week 6 against the
Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team ...
in London. In his first game in nearly a month, Tagovailoa completed 33 of 47 passes for 329 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in a 23–20 loss to the Jaguars, dropping the Dolphins' record to 1–5. The Dolphins lost two additional games to the
Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcons were founded o ...
and Bills to drop their record to 1–7. The following week, Tagovailoa missed the Dolphins' Week 9 game against the
Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team plays its home games at N ...
, as the Dolphins won 17–9. In their next game against the
Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its home g ...
, Tagovailoa came off the bench to energize the Dolphins, completing 8 of 13 passes for 158 yards and a rushing touchdown, resulting in an upset 22–10 victory. Tagovailoa used the win to catapult a turnaround in his and his team's fortunes. The following week set the tone for the rest of the season, as he completed 27 of 33 passes for 273 yards, two touchdowns and an interception as the Dolphins beat the Jets 24–17. He led the team to its first seven-game winning streak since
1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a n ...
. During their 20–9 victory over the
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
in Week 13, he became the first Dolphins quarterback since Dan Marino in
1994 The year 1994 was designated as the " International Year of the Family" and the "International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal" by the United Nations. In the Line Islands and Phoenix Islands of Kiribati, 1994 had only 364 days, omitti ...
to throw at least 21 completions in the first half of a game. In Week 17 against the
Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. They play the ...
, Tagovailoa and the Dolphins were blown out 34–3. Following their loss, and with the
Los Angeles Chargers The Los Angeles Chargers are a professional American football team based in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles area. The Chargers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC W ...
defeating the Broncos, the Dolphins were eliminated from playoff contention for the fifth consecutive year, and 18th time in 20 seasons. In the final game of the 2021 season, Tagovailoa led the Dolphins to their first sweep of the rival Patriots since
2000 2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year. Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...
, making him 3–0 against
Bill Belichick William Stephen Belichick ( ; born April 16, 1952) is an American football coach who is the head coach for the North Carolina Tar Heels. Widely regarded as one of the greatest head coaches of all time, he holds numerous coaching records, inc ...
and the Patriots in his career. He finished the 2021 season with 2,653 passing yards, 16 passing touchdowns, and ten interceptions to go along with 42 carries for 128 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns in 13 games.


2022 season

During the offseason previous to the 2022 season, the Miami Dolphins fired head coach
Brian Flores Brian Francisco Flores (born February 24, 1981) is an American professional football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He began his NFL career with the New England Patriots, ...
, arguing internal communication issues. A few weeks later, several sources confirmed differences between Tagovailoa and Flores with rumors of heavy discussions between them. The Dolphins hired
Mike McDaniel Michael Lee McDaniel (born March 6, 1983) is an American professional American football, football coach who is the head coach of the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). A former long-time assistant and descendant of the Mike S ...
as their head coach on February 6, 2022, who expressed unbridled support for Tagovailoa as his starting quarterback. Tagovailoa began his third season by throwing for 270 yards and a touchdown in a 20–7 win over the Patriots, improving to 4–0 against
Bill Belichick William Stephen Belichick ( ; born April 16, 1952) is an American football coach who is the head coach for the North Carolina Tar Heels. Widely regarded as one of the greatest head coaches of all time, he holds numerous coaching records, inc ...
and the Patriots. The next week against the Ravens, Tagovailoa threw for a career-high 469 yards, six touchdowns, and two interceptions in the 42–38 comeback win. The 21-point comeback was the first fourth-quarter comeback of 21+ points in 12 years. Prior to the game, teams were 0–711 when trailing by at least 21 points in the fourth quarter since 2011. His six-touchdown performance also tied the Dolphins franchise record, tying Hall of Famers
Bob Griese Robert Allen Griese ( ; born February 3, 1945) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). He earned All-American hono ...
and Dan Marino, and his 469 passing yards ranks fourth in franchise history. As a result of his historic performance, Tagovailoa was named
American Football Conference The American Football Conference (AFC) is one of the two conferences of the National Football League (NFL), the highest level of professional American football in the United States. The AFC and its counterpart, the National Football Conference ...
(AFC) Offensive Player of the Week for Week 2. During Week 3 against the Bills, Tagovailoa briefly left the game with what the Dolphins claimed was a back injury but eventually returned to the game, finishing with 186 passing yards and a touchdown as the Dolphins won 21–19. After the game, the
NFLPA The National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) is the labor union representing National Football League (NFL) players. The NFLPA, which has headquarters in Washington, D.C., is led by executive director Lloyd Howell Jr. and president J ...
suspected that the Dolphins might have violated concussion protocols by letting Tagovailoa back in the game and subsequently announced that an investigation would be launched. After being a game-time decision for Week 4, Tagovailoa was cleared to start against the Bengals. After taking a sack by Bengals
nose tackle A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that typically lines up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the Guard (American football), offensive guards; however, he may also line up opposite one of the offensive Tackle (gridir ...
Josh Tupou Joshua Enelangi Tupou (born May 2, 1994) is an American professional football nose tackle. He played college football at Colorado. Professional career Cincinnati Bengals Tupou signed with the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent on M ...
during the second quarter, Tagovailoa hit the ground with his left elbow, back and back of his helmet. Tagovailoa demonstrated a
fencing response The fencing response is an unnatural position of the arms following a concussion. Immediately after moderate forces have been applied to the brainstem, the forearms are held flexed or extended (typically into the air) for a period lasting up to se ...
and was stretchered off the field and transported to the
University of Cincinnati Medical Center The University of Cincinnati Medical Center (UCMC) is a primary teaching hospital for the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. At various times since its founding in 1821 it has been known by names including Cincinnati Hospital, Commercial ...
with head and neck injuries. He was discharged from the hospital later that night. Two days later, the NFL players' union fired their independent neurotrauma consultant who was involved in Tagovailoa's concussion check during the Bills game. Tagovailoa's suspected concussion resulted in the NFL and NFLPA revising its concussion protocol policy. Tagovailoa returned to practice on October 12, but remained in concussion protocol. On October 15, Tagovailoa cleared concussion protocol, but remained inactive for the Week 6 game against the
Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. The Vikings compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. Founded in 1960 as ...
. Tagovailoa returned in Week 7 against the
Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...
, where he threw for 261 yards and a touchdown in the 16–10 win. The next week against the
Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. The team plays their home game ...
, Tagovailoa threw for 382 yards and three touchdowns while completing 80% of his passes in the 31–27 win. On December 21, despite topping the overall fan votes (306,861) for the 2023 Pro Bowl, Tagovailoa was not selected to the Pro Bowl. Against the
Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They ar ...
on
Christmas Day Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A liturgical feast central to Christianity, Chri ...
, Tagovailoa threw for 310 yards, and a touchdown, but threw three interceptions in the fourth quarter, including the game-losing one to
Rasul Douglas Rasul Douglas (born August 29, 1994) is an American professional football cornerback. He played college football for the West Virginia Mountaineers, and was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft. He has al ...
in the 26–20 loss. The next day, it was announced that Tagovailoa had entered concussion protocol after he was experiencing concussion symptoms he suffered in the game. On December 28, McDaniel confirmed Tagovailoa suffered a concussion and was ruled out for the Dolphins Week 17 game against the Patriots, and then also ruled out for the season finale against the Jets. On January 9, the Dolphins clinched the AFC's final playoff berth, and their first since
2016 2016 was designated as: * International Year of Pulses by the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly. * International Year of Global Understanding (IYGU) by the International Council for Science (ICSU), the Internationa ...
. On January 11, McDaniel said that Tagovailoa had not been cleared to return to practice since he entered concussion protocol a second time, and was ruled out for his third consecutive game. Tagovailoa finished the regular season throwing for 3,548 yards, 25 touchdowns, and eight interceptions, going 8–5 in 13 games played. Tagovailoa also led the league in passer rating and passing average. He was ranked 82nd by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2023.


2023 season

On March 20, 2023, the Dolphins picked up the fifth-year option of Tagovailoa's contract. In his first news conference since December 2022, Tagovailoa said that he considered retirement in the off-season due to his injuries in the 2022 season. Tagovailoa began his fourth season by throwing for 466 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception as the Dolphins won 36–34 against the Chargers. For his performance, Tagovailoa was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for Week 1. In Week 2, Tagovailoa threw for 249 yards, a touchdown, and an interception in the Dolphins' 24–17 win against the Patriots. During Week 3 against the Broncos, Tagovailoa finished with 309 passing yards and 4 touchdowns. The Dolphins also combined for 350 rushing yards and won 70–20. Tagovailoa's exceptional play in these games earned him AFC Offensive Player of the Month for September. On January 3, 2024, it was announced that Tagovailoa had been selected for his first Pro Bowl appearance. He was named as the starting quarterback of the AFC roster. Tagovailoa finished the season with a league-leading 4,624 passing yards, becoming the first Dolphins quarterback to lead the league in passing yards since
Dan Marino Daniel Constantine Marino Jr. ( ; born September 15, 1961) is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons with the Miami Dolphins. He played college f ...
in 1992. Tagovailoa also generated career-highs in passing touchdowns (29), completions (388), and completion percentage (69.3%) in his fourth NFL season. In addition, he started every game in 2023 while staying healthy throughout the season, a career first. Tagovailoa made his playoff debut against the Chiefs in the
Wild Card round A wild card (also wildcard or wild-card and also known as an at-large berth or at-large bid) is an invitation to a tournament or a playoff berth awarded to a team or individual that does not qualify via an automatic bid. In some events, wildcards ...
, throwing for 199 yards with one touchdown and one interception in a 26–7 loss. He was ranked 36th by his fellow players on the
NFL Top 100 Players of 2024 The ''NFL Top 100'' Players of 2024 is the fourteenth season in the '' NFL Top 100.'' It premiered on July 22, 2024, and concluded on August 2, 2024. Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill Tyreek Hill (born March 1, 1994) is an American ...
.


2024 season

On July 26, 2024, Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212.4 million contract extension with the Dolphins through 2028. Tagovailoa opened the season against the
Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team ...
, throwing for 336 yards and leading a game-winning field goal drive. During ''
Thursday Night Football ''Thursday Night Football'' (often abbreviated as ''TNF'') is the branding used for broadcasts of National Football League (NFL) games that broadcast primarily on Thursday nights. Most of the games kick off at 8:15 Eastern Time (8:20 prior to ...
'' on September 12, Tagovailoa suffered another concussion against the Bills after leading with his helmet into contact with safety
Damar Hamlin Damar Romeyelle Hamlin (; born March 24, 1998) is an American professional American football, football Safety (gridiron football position), safety for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Pi ...
following a scramble. The Dolphins later placed him on injured reserve following what became his third diagnosed concussion in two years, requiring him to miss at least four games, in order to give him ample time to progress through the NFL's concussion protocol while meeting with independent neurologists. After fulfilling the required four-game absence, Tagovailoa was designated to return to practice on October 21. Head coach
Mike McDaniel Michael Lee McDaniel (born March 6, 1983) is an American professional American football, football coach who is the head coach of the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). A former long-time assistant and descendant of the Mike S ...
confirmed that medical experts approved his return, and Tagovailoa stated that he did not consider retirement after the concussion. On October 27, Tagovailoa made his return in Week 8 against the
Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The ...
, completing 28-of-38 passes for 234 yards and a touchdown as the Dolphins lost on a walk-off field goal, dropping their record to 2–5. The following week against the Bills, Tagovailoa completed a career-best 89.3% of his passes (25-of-28) and led a game-tying touchdown drive with under two minutes left, but the Dolphins lost on another last-second field goal. Tagovailoa helped snap a three-game losing streak with timely third-down throws, going 9-of-12 for 137 yards on third down in a 23–15 win over the
Los Angeles Rams The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West ...
. He continued his efficient play against the Raiders and Patriots, completing over 70% of his passes for 605 yards, seven touchdowns, and no interceptions across the two games as Miami improved to 5–6. From weeks 12-14, Tagovailoa became the first QB to attempt 40 or more passes, throw multiple touchdowns, pass for more than 300 yards, and record zero interceptions across three games in the same season. This stretch included a game-winning touchdown pass in overtime against the
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...
. He joined Dan Marino as the only Dolphins quarterback with a 300-yard performance in three consecutive games. On December 22, Tagovailoa threw his 100th career touchdown pass to Tyreek Hill in a 29–17 win against the San Francisco 49ers.


NFL career statistics


Regular season


Postseason


Player profile

Tagovailoa has been noted for his throwing accuracy and touch, particularly in passes traveling over 20 yards in the air despite criticism of his arm strength. His awareness while scanning the field, avoiding defenders in the pocket and running have been highly touted, with one source endearingly calling it his "Spidey-sense" in reference to the superhero
Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appearance, first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in ...
. In particular, Tagovailoa has been efficient in running the run-pass option, one of his strengths in college and early on in his professional career, and his time to throw and time to release are among the fastest in the league. However, his injury history has been extensive, and he has struggled when defenses keep him in the pocket for extended periods of time and force him to improvise. Since taking over as head coach,
Mike McDaniel Michael Lee McDaniel (born March 6, 1983) is an American professional American football, football coach who is the head coach of the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). A former long-time assistant and descendant of the Mike S ...
has utilized Tagovailoa's fast processing and decision-making skills as an integral part of the Dolphins' offense, which has relied heavily on rhythm, timing, fast receivers such as
Tyreek Hill Tyreek Hill (born March 1, 1994) is an American professional football wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Garden City Broncbusters, Oklahoma State Cowboys, and West ...
and Jaylen Waddle, and pre-snap assessment, allowing Tagovailoa's further development as a pocket passer.


Personal life

Tagovailoa graduated early from Saint Louis School and moved with his family to
Alabaster, Alabama Alabaster is a city and southern suburb of Birmingham in Shelby County, Alabama, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 33,284. Alabaster is the 16th largest city in Alabama by number of residents. History George L. Scott Sr., ...
, after his commitment to play for the University of Alabama. Tagovailoa is an
evangelical Christian Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes evangelism, or the preaching and spreading of th ...
. He has been married to his wife, Annah (née Gore), since 2022. They have two children; a son, and a daughter. Although Tagovailoa is predominantly
right-handed In human biology, handedness is an individual's preferential use of one hand, known as the dominant hand, due to and causing it to be stronger, faster or more Fine motor skill, dextrous. The other hand, comparatively often the weaker, less dext ...
, his father trained him to throw the ball with his left hand as a child, because he wanted a left-handed son. He is one of two starting left-handed quarterbacks currently in the NFL, alongside
Michael Penix Jr. Michael Tarrence Penix Jr. ( ; born May 8, 2000) is an American professional American football, football quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). After three seasons of college football with the Indiana Hoosiers ...
His younger brother, Taulia Tagovailoa, is a
CFL The Canadian Football League (CFL; , LCF) is a professional Canadian football league in Canada. It comprises nine teams divided into two divisions, with four teams in the East Division and five in the West Division. The CFL is the highest pr ...
quarterback for the
Hamilton Tiger-Cats The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a professional Canadian football team based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. They are currently members of the East Division (CFL), East Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The Tiger-Cats play their home game ...
. He transferred to Maryland in 2020 after spending a year as Tagovailoa's backup at Alabama in 2019. Two of Tagovailoa's cousins also play football: Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa played on the defensive line on the Raiders; Adam Amosa-Tagovailoa played on the offensive line at
Navy A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...
. In 2023, Tagovailoa began practicing
jiu-jitsu Jujutsu ( , or ), also known as jiu-jitsu and ju-jitsu (both ), is a Japanese martial art and a system of close combat that can be used in a defensive or offensive manner to kill or subdue one or more weaponless or armed and armored opponent ...
in response to the concussions he suffered in the 2022 NFL season. Tagovailoa is a supporter of the
Samoa national rugby league team The Samoa national rugby league team represents Samoa in rugby league football and has participated in international competition since 1986. Known as Western Samoa before 1997, the team is administered by Rugby League Samoa and are nicknamed To ...
, and publicly pledged his support to the team during the
2021 Rugby League World Cup The 2021 Rugby League World Cup (RLWC2021) was a collection of world cups in the sport of rugby league, held in England from 15 October to 19 November 2022. England won hosting rights for the competition on 27 October 2016. The bid received ...
where they made the Final for the first time.


Philanthropy

In February 2021, Tagovailoa announced the establishment of the Tua Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to the support of youth initiatives, health and wellness, and other charitable causes. The foundation focuses its efforts in communities that have had the most prominent impact on Tua including Hawaii, Alabama, and Miami. The board of directors is composed of Tua Tagovailoa, June Jones, Jesse Sapolu, Vai Sikahema, and Diane Tagovailoa. In recognition of the foundation launch, three grants of $16,667 (totaling $50,000) were awarded on February 4 to the Police Athletic League of North Miami, Big Oak Ranch in Springville, Alabama, and the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame in Honolulu. In June 2020, Tagovailoa announced the establishment of a $300,000 scholarship endowment to benefit his high school, Saint Louis School in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. The Tua Foundation hosted its inaugural fundraising event in August 2021, raising $93,000 for the
Tallapoosa County Tallapoosa County is a county located in the east-central portion of the U.S. state of Alabama."ACES Tallapoosa County Office" (links/history), Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES), 2007, webpageACES-Tallapoosa As of the 2020 census, t ...
Girls Ranch to cover funeral expenses for the eight juveniles, ages 4–17, that were lost in a devastating car crash, and also counseling expenses to the girls of the ranch that lost loved ones.


Hawaiian and Samoan culture

Tagovailoa identifies as "full Samoan" and "not Hawaiian" even though he is from Hawaii. In his youth, Tagovailoa looked up to Marcus Mariota,
Timmy Chang Timothy Kealii'okaaina Awa Chang (born October 9, 1981) is an American football coach and former quarterback who is currently the head coach of the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors. During his playing career at Hawaii, he set several major college foot ...
, and
Manti Te'o Manti Malietau Louis Te'o ( ; born January 26, 1991) is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, earning unanimous ...
, three other football players from Hawaii. On May 19, 2018, Tagovailoa returned to Hawaii after winning the National Championship game with Crimson Tide teammate and friend
Najee Harris Najee Mzee Harris ( ; born March 9, 1998) is an American professional American football, football running back for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide football ...
to be celebrated at the Hometown Hero Parade. To celebrate his accomplishments that year, Tagovailoa performed a traditional Samoan ceremonial dance called a
taualuga The Taualuga is a traditional Samoan dance, considered the apex of Samoans, Samoan performance art and the centerpiece of the culture of Samoa. This dance form has been adopted and adapted throughout western Polynesia, most notably in Samoa, The K ...
, which is often performed as a "final" step in a monumental task. He wore traditional Samoan clothing, headwear, and shoes, and was accompanied by his friend and cousin. Money is thrown at the dancer, and Tagovailoa chose to donate this money to his hometown church and youth football program. Tagovailoa enjoyed sharing his culture with his Alabama teammates, bringing his teammates Joshua Casher and Alex Leatherwood to explore
Oahu Oahu (, , sometimes written Oahu) is the third-largest and most populated island of the Hawaiian Islands and of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital, Honolulu, is on Oahu's southeast coast. The island of Oahu and the uninhabited Northwe ...
's
Polynesian Cultural Center The Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) is a family-centered cultural tourist attraction and living museum in Laie on the northern shore of Oahu, Hawaii. The PCC is owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), was dedic ...
's villages. He believed it was a "good experience for them (his teammates) to see a good mix of cultures", and after they remarked on how they could lead traditional Samoan chants before Alabama games. In 2024, Tagovailoa collaborated with clothing brand
Perry Ellis Perry Edwin Ellis (March 3, 1940 – May 30, 1986) was an American fashion designer who founded his eponymous sportswear house in the mid-1970s. Ellis' influence on the fashion industry has been called "a huge turning point" because he in ...
on a modern island life-themed line of clothing. He was inspired by aspects of his culture when designing the pieces and the clothing he grew up wearing. Tagovailoa commented on how clothing designs that were normal for his culture's everyday wear were pushing the boundaries of design for a company like Perry Ellis that typically sticks to more classic designs.   


See also

*
List of National Football League annual passer rating leaders In American football, passer rating is a measure of the performance of passers, primarily quarterbacks. Passer rating is calculated using a player's Forward pass, passing attempts, Completion (American football), completions, passing yards, touc ...
*
List of National Football League annual passing yards leaders In American football, Forward pass#American and Canadian football, passing, along with Rush (gridiron football), running (also referred to as rushing), is one of the two main methods of advancing the ball down the field. Passes are typically at ...
*
List of National Football League career passer rating leaders The NFL rates its passers for statistical purposes against a fixed performance standard based on statistical achievements of all qualified pro passers since 1960. The current passer rating system, which was adopted in 1973, removes inequities tha ...


References


Further reading

*


External links

*
Tua Foundation

Miami Dolphins bio

Alabama Crimson Tide bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tagovailoa, Tua 1998 births Living people Alabama Crimson Tide football players All-American college football players American Christians American football quarterbacks American sportspeople of Samoan descent Maxwell Award winners Miami Dolphins players Players of American football from Honolulu Saint Louis School alumni American Conference Pro Bowl players Walter Camp Award winners Pacific Islander American players of American football