Tua Tagovailoa has consistently been one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL when he is healthy. However, injuries have plagued the 27-year-old star for much of his career. Dating back to college, the supremely talented lefty has only played one complete season since 2019.
“In 2019, Tagovailoa suffered his first big injury: a high ankle sprain against Tennessee,” wrote USA Today’s Jack McKessy. “One week after his return, the then-21-year-old suffered a slew of injuries on the same play against Mississippi State. Tagovailoa fractured his pelvis, dislocated his hip, broke his nose and suffered his first concussion.”
Since his arrival in the NFL, Tagovailoa has jammed thumbs, fractured ribs, and has missed several games due to concussion related symptoms. This includes at least four games in 2022, and at least four more just last season. While his production on the field is unquestionable, the Miami Dolphins front office is wearing thin with the most important piece of their offense having waivering availability.
“He needs to be available. He needs to know how to protect himself,” Grier said in a video published by the Miami Dolphins YouTube channel. “You’re going to get hit at times. It’s always going to happen. But he needs to control what he can control. He understands that. Not being available for taking chances and risk is unacceptable to us, and he knows that.”
Dolphins Miss The Playoffs After Back-To-Back Appearances
Last season was a disappointing years for many reasons. First and foremost the team failed to reach the playoffs for the first time since Tua’s second year in the league. The team finished 8-9 missing the offseason by a single game. A game in which general manager Chris Grier believes the team could have won with their star signal caller.
“This year, again we had high expectations,” Grier said in that same video. “Injuries happen, and I am not using that as an excuse. It is what it is. Every team deals with it. I would say our biggest one, no matter what happens, is obviously the quarterback. When he misses six-and-a-half games, when we miss it by a game getting into the playoffs, to me that’s the difference there.”
It’s hard to argue with Grier coming off a year in which Tagovailoa only appeared in 11 games. However, in those 11 games Tua was historically good.
Tua Tagovailoa By The Numbers
It is easy to forget about the production from the Miami Dolphins offense when spearheaded by the former Crimson Tide QB.
“During the 2024 NFL season, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa completed 72.9 percent of his passes, the third-best single-season completion rate in NFL history,” wrote Mark Inabinett on AL.com. “That performance came a year after the former Alabama All-American led the NFL with 4,624 passing yards.”
The Achille’s heel of the play maker is his health. Since his arrival in 2020, the quarterback has only played in 64 of a possible 84 games, less than 80%.
According to statmuse, the team is 40-24 when Tua plays, and a measly 7-13 when he is unavailable.
