Despite getting body slammed in his first NFL start, Miami Dolphins rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was actually thrilled at getting hit during the course of a game.
Tagovailoa admitted that his performance was less than he expected, but offered a huge amount of praise to the Dolphins in their 28-17 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.
Tua Tagovailoa: “I don’t think I played to the standard that this offense is capable of… Thank God we’ve got a good defense.”
On his first hit: “Idk who it was that took me off my feet and body-slammed me… I’m not going to lie, I did enjoy getting hit that first time.” pic.twitter.com/8qCcWPTcxI
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) November 1, 2020
Tagovailoa’s excitement at being on the receiving end is largely due to the fact that it was just last November when his career was potentially in doubt because of season-ending hip surgery
The start for Tagovailoa started in bumpy fashion when on just his second snap of the game, Tagovailoa fumbled. However, he later threw for one touchdown to DeVante Parker and finished with a modest 93 yards on the day, completing 12 of 22 passes.
Learning from his mistakes, Tagovailoa avoided throwing any interceptions, while the aforementioned defense managed to largely keep the Rams in check.
Despite the Rams rolling up 471 yards of offense, compared to the Dolphins’ total of 145, two key plays during the second quarter won the game for the Dolphins.
The first was a 78-yard fumble return for a score by Andrew Van Ginkel, followed just a few minutes later by an 88-yard punt return by Jakeem Grant that gave the Dolphins a 21-7 lead.
Tagovailoa’s maturity and eagerness to improve over the course of his first NFL season are positive signs for the Dolphins future.
Next week, Tagovailoa will make his first start on the road as the Dolphins take on the Arizona Cardinals.
