Tagovailoa told to bulk up still despite his recent body transformation

04 July 2023 , 22:46

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Tua Tagovailoa is visibly bigger than last season but has been told it's not enough (Image: AP)

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has been told to "bulk" further despite being visibly larger than he was last season.

The 2022 NFL season was a rollercoaster for Tagovailoa, as although his efforts helped the Dolphins reach the playoffs he wasn't able to contribute during the postseason. Tagovailoa sustained two legitimate concussions in 2022, with concerns over a third still denied by the organisation.

Concussion protocols have been put in place to protect NFL players, but due to the severity of the hits sustained last season the 25-year-old considered retirement. However, Tagovailoa has been working hard in the offseason, and the Dolphins gave him their vote of confidence by refusing to shop for a new quarterback.

Tagovailoa looked a lot larger during practice with the Dolphins, and has clearly been lifting weights on top of taking judo classes since the end of last season. But former NFL star Mick Vick has told him to gain further mass to avoid getting hit badly.

The Dolphins quarterback admitted earlier this year that he started taking judo class to learn how to fall. He's also been bulking after getting thrown around last season, going "above and beyond" in the words of head coach Mike McDaniel.

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But Vick has urged Tagovailoa to do even more as he spoke with Tyreek Hill, team-mate of the quarterback. "I just think he’s got to bulk up a little bit,” Vick said on Hill’s It Needed To Be Said podcast. "Get a little bit bigger.

"Get stronger. As you grow into your man body, that’s what needs to happen. Ain’t nothing wrong with picking up another 10 pounds, 15 pounds. . . . Don’t get hit. Don’t get knocked around.”

Tagovailoa suffered a series of concussions last season due to big hits

The Dolphins franchise are clearly behind Tagovailoa to become a major success, as the fifth year option on his contract was triggered ahead of this season. It was also an offseason where Aaron Rodgers and Lamar Jackson were potentially up for grabs, but the Dolphins still stood firm.

Hill believes that Tagovailoa is the "most accurate quarterback in the league" despite playing with Patrick Mahomes at the Kansas City Chiefs. Vick was reluctant to agree, but it proves just how valued Tagovailoa is in Miami.

"I ain’t gonna say the most accurate, I’m just saying like his ball — he throws a catchable ball," Vick added. "He threw a real catchable ball. If you watch what he did in college . . . every ball was on the money. Soft, right where the receiver [was], in stride."

It's a career-defining season for Tagovailoa, as there's only so long that the Dolphins can stand by the quarterback. They've been busy in the market and assembled a team capable of making a Super Bowl push, so it's time for Tagovailoa to prove himself, and hopefully, avoid getting hit.

Joseph McBride