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Report: Tua Tagovailoa took only 1 day off during bye week to prepare for 1st NFL start

Tua Tagovailoa Miami Dolphins Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

While most Miami Dolphins players likely enjoyed quite a bit of time off during their bye week, rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa stayed busy as he prepared for his upcoming start.

Tagovailoa will be making his first NFL start on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams and is focused on trying to speed up his development behind center.

The work ethic of Tagovailoa has been clearly evident even before the team took him as the fifth overall selection in April’s NFL draft.

Trying to come back from a serious injury that required season-ending surgery last year, Tagovailoa’s ability to even play this year was in question.

However, thanks to his intense rehabilitation schedule, Tagovailoa was ready for the Dolphins’ training camp, though the team indicated that he wouldn’t be rushed into the lineup.

Tagovailoa then got his first taste of NFL action in the waning moments of the Dolphins’ 24-0 shutout of the New York Jets on Oct. 18.

Dolphins head coach Brian Flores announced two days later that Tagovailoa would replace veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick as the team’s starting passer.

Tagovailoa is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Dolphins legend Dan Marino, who started during his rookie season and went on to enjoy a Hall-of-Fame career.

Yet, Tagovailoa is facing a stiff challenge in his first start, facing a Rams team that brings a 5-2 record into the contest. Still, the fact that Tagovailoa is focused on putting total effort into his new role offers hope that Sunday will be a special day in Dolphins history.