Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, in his first organized press conference since his 2022 season was decrease fast on account of a second stint in concussion protocol, admitted Wednesday that he gave thought to retirement on the end of the earlier season.
Tagovailoa, in the long run, opted in the direction of it, and he’s set to return to the Dolphins for a fourth NFL season in 2023, plus at least a fifth after Miami picked up the 2020 first-round select’s fifth-year risk on his rookie contract.
“I believed-about it for a time, having sat down with my family, having sat down with my partner and having these conversations. “However, really, it will likely be exhausting for me to walk away from this recreation with how outdated I’m, with my son. I on a regular basis dreamed of participating in as long as I’ll to the place my son knew exactly what he was watching his dad do.
“It’s my well being. It’s my physique. And I really feel like that is what’s greatest for me and my household. I really like the sport of soccer. If I didn’t, I’d’ve give up a very long time in the past.”
Tagovailoa’s ultimate concussion received right here on Dec. 25 when his head hit the underside on what appeared to be a routine takedown throughout the Dolphins’ Christmas Day loss to the Inexperienced Bay Packers. The concussion was not acknowledged until the following day at workforce facilities, and Tagovailoa was positioned throughout the league’s concussion protocol for 37 days sooner than being cleared.
The quarterback missed the last word two regular-season video video games after which Miami’s wild-card spherical playoff loss to the Buffalo Payments on Jan. 15. Tagovailoa didn’t appear to return again close to being cleared in time for the postseason recreation, considering his ultimate clearance received right here on Feb. 1.
“I’m not certain,” the 25-year-old Tagovailoa said. “I used to be going by means of my course of with [trainer Kyle Johnston] and simply attempting to do every part I might to get higher. However, at any level, every time the group, [coach] Mike [McDaniel] or [general manager Chris] Grier would’ve approached me and requested me if I had been prepared, there’s no query, little question in my thoughts that I’d’ve stepped as much as the plate and answered the decision.”
Tagovailoa said it was exhausting not with the power to finish out ultimate season, nonetheless added, “This can be a new 12 months for us, this can be a new group that now we have. We’re actually excited.”
The latter concussion adopted the one he suffered in a Sept. 29 loss on the Cincinnati Bengals. In that Thursday night time time recreation, Tagovailoa lied motionless on the sector after he was slammed to the turf by the Bengals’ Josh Tupou. He was carted off and admitted to a neighborhood hospital that night time time and missed the following two video video games. 4 days sooner than that event, he wobbled after being pushed to the underside in a win over the Payments nonetheless was cleared to return to recreation movement.
Tagovailoa said he was instructed by neurologists that he’s not at larger hazard for future concussions eight months far from the 2022 occurrences when subsequent season begins, neither is he at larger hazard for Power Traumatic Encephalopathy. He outlined that his understanding is that CTE comes additional normally from mounted, repeated blows to the top which is likely to be additional widespread for linebackers and linemen.
Tagovailoa, ultimate week, moreover spoke briefly to the media at his charity luau event and said offseason workouts have been going correctly as he appears to strengthen his physique whereas moreover taking jiu-jitsu lessons to find methods to fall in a approach that protects his head.
He said he and his jiu-jitsu coach watched the film of his hits that resulted in blows to the top and assessed manners whereby they could’ve been prevented.
“It wasn’t robust to observe,” Tagovailoa said. “I want to get larger at each factor that I can do to help the workforce win video video games, and I do know a very powerful issue is my properly being.
“Power work has been actually massive all through this offseason for me with getting my legs underneath me, constructing my higher physique, constructing round my neck, my core.”
The quarterback moreover revealed just a few of his early learnings in jiu-jitsu.
“Discovered fall,” Tagovailoa said. “Discovered some grappling strategies, another issues too that I don’t suppose I ought to disclose. However, for probably the most half, learn to fall. You suppose it’s straightforward. Simply don’t fall and hit your head, however there’s much more to it.”
Among the many strategies, he’s engaged on tucking his chin and getting his physique into an accurate posture to scale back affect on the top. He wants it to develop to be second nature when he’s getting tackled in video video games.
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