After Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered a concussion last season against the Cincinnati Bengals, there were plenty of people that urged him to retire from the sport.
Those calls died down for a bit before the University of Alabama product suffered another concussion late in the season against the Green Bay Packers.
On Wednesday, Tagovailoa himself admitted that he considered retiring last season and explained why he ultimately decided against it.
Tua says he considered retirement “for a time” after his multiple concussions last season but:
“it would be hard for me to walk away from this game with how old I am, with my son — I always dreamed of playing as long as a could to the point where my son knew what he’s watching”
— Marcel Louis-Jacques (@Marcel_LJ) April 19, 2023
It’s clear that Tagovailoa’s son means a lot to him. Late last year, he opened up about what the experience has been like.
“It’s very unique how having a child impacts how you see things differently in life,” Tagovailoa said. “It’s like nothing that I’ve ever experienced. There’s no playbook for this.
“I’ve always had a tremendous amount of heart for kids, but now that I have one of my own, you go home and the best thing is when you see them smile and laughing. It’s the best thing in the world.”
During the 2022 campaign, the former first-round pick completed 64.8 percent of his passes for 3,548 yards, 25 touchdowns and only eight interceptions.
It was easily the best season of his young career, and he quickly got on the same page as superstar wide receiver Tyreek Hill. Tagovailoa seemed to squash any doubts about whether or not he has the ability to be Miami’s franchise quarterback.
Though there’s undoubtedly some concern for Tagovailoa and his future, the signal-caller himself said that he’s been informed by doctors that chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) isn’t going to be a problem for him.
Tua said doctors told him "CTE wasn't going to be a problem. It's only when you're constantly hitting your head against something"
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) April 19, 2023
That’s great news for Tagovailoa as well as the Dolphins organization and its fans. All of the team’s hopes in the 2023 season will likely ride on him.
One can only imagine how last season would have turned out had Tagovailoa not missed any games. Miami was competitive in its lone playoff game against the Buffalo Bills and even held the lead with just a few minutes left in the third quarter.
The Dolphins had the ball late in the fourth quarter and were driving down the field down three points, but a delay of game penalty hurt their chances. They ultimately turned the ball over on downs.
The recent acquisition of Jalen Ramsey has re-energized South Florida, and fans are ready to support the team in its pursuit of a Super Bowl this season.
