mike mcdaniel tua tagovailoa

Miami Dolphins GM Admits to Concerns About QB Tua Tagovailoa’s Durability

As Tua Tagovailoa celebrates his 25th birthday this week, Dolphins management still hasn’t decided whether to pick up the fifth-year option on his first contract.

Miami General Manager Chris Grier conceded that the team has concerns about Tua’s durability. After all, Tagovailoa missed games in college because of a hip injury. And this past year, the quarterback had two very public concussions.

The Dolphins still have a couple of months to make a decision on the key fifth year for Tua Tagovailoa. The option year in 2024 pays $23.2 million. Miami saw all things from Tua this past season. When he was healthy, he was one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. But he also missed five games last year, including Miami’s playoff. Add those to the four games he missed in 2021.

“I can’t lie and say no,” Grier told reporters when asked about whether Tua’s durability to stay healthy is a concern.

But at the same time, Grier said “it’s not something that’s going to make us afraid to do something long term.”

Meanwhile, Tua Tagovailoa was having a great time this weekend, dancing the night away at his 25th birthday partty. He doesn’t officially turn 25 until Thursday. But he looked relaxed and healthy, especially when he accepted a fur coat from rapper Rick Ross, who is a friend and neighbor.

Conversely, Tua also is headed into his final guaranteed year with the Dolphins. Coach Mike McDaniel acknowledged the conversations he’s having with Grier about Tua.

“Like any other player, you factor in every variable,” McDaniel told reporters. “I think it’s important to recognize we have a congruence of interests by the Dolphins and the player, Tua, that we both want him to play at a very high level for a long time for the Miami Dolphins.”

Tua Tagovailoa, when healthy, was very, very good in 2022. His quarterback rating of 105.5 topped the NFL. Although he missed five games, Tagovailoa threw for 3,548 yards. That ranked 12th in the NFL, behind Aaron Rodgers and his 3,695.

Overall, Tagovailoa set career highs in passing yards, touchdowns, completion percentage and QB rating. Still, there are concerns about his concussions. If a player suffers more than one, he can become more susceptible to more head injuries. Tua suffered at least two concussions in 2022, including one in late September and another on Christmas Day.

In February, Tua Tagovailoa talked about what he was doing in the offseason to improve his health.

“We’ve got a plan set up,” Tagovailoa told the Up & Adam Show. “I’ll be doing judo on Fridays just so that I can kind of figure out understanding my body and how to fall. I’m not trying to be a dangerous person in that way, just trying to help myself.”