The 2022 season was something of a breakout campaign for Tua Tagovalioa. It also could have been his last.
The Dolphins star racked up a career-high 3,548 passing yards and 25 touchdowns, taking advantage of the dynamic receiving duo of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle to lead Miami to its first playoff appearance in six seasons. It was a standout campaign for the third-year pro, who showcased the guile and accuracy needed to be a centerpiece of Mike McDaniel's offense.
Still, it was far from a perfect season. Tagovailoa dealt with a spate of concussions, suffering a pair of horrific head-on collisions that forced the league to reevaluate its policy around head injuries.
MORE: Potential landing spots for Trey Lance as 49ers get trade calls ahead of 2023 NFL Draft
The NFL wasn't the only entity forced to reconsider its options. Tagovailoa admitted to reporters Wednesday that he had real doubts about continuing his professional career. The 25-year-old said he held numerous conversations with his family in which he broached the topic.
"I think I considered [retirement] for a time, having sat down with my family, having sat down with my wife and having those conversations," Tagovailoa said. "Really, 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 I could to where my son knew exactly what he was watching his dad do."
Tua Tagovailoa says he discussed the idea of retiring from football after the season with family but he decided to keep playing. He says this is his health and life. He thinks this is what’s best for him & his family. pic.twitter.com/6LfHd1RxwA
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) April 19, 2023
Ultimately, Tagovailoa opted to return to the gridiron for 2023. Why?
"It's my health, it's my body," Tagovailoa said. "I feel like this is what's best for me and my family."
MORE: NFL Mock Draft 2023, 3-round edition
The nature of Tagovailoa's injuries — particularly the frightening concussion he suffered against the Bengals in Week 4 — set off a number of concerns around NFL circles. From fans to opponents, it seemed everyone waited with bated breath to see just how the quarterback would respond. Ultimately, he performed well, tossing 18 touchdowns to five interceptions before being ruled out of the final two games of the regular season and wild card game following another concussion.
Ultimately, Tagovailoa took some steps to better mitigate his risk at major injury. Per the Miami Herald's Daniel Oyefusi, Tua even took jiu jitsu training to better disperse the force around his body when being brought down.
Tua added that the training has included tucking his chin and knowing how to disperse his energy.
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) April 19, 2023
“It’s actually a lot cooler than you think when you hear of learning how to fall.”
If it keeps him on the field, it's more than worth it.
"I love the game of football," Tagovailoa said. "If I didn't, I would've quit a long time ago."
