ESPN: Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa 'Healthy' and Has Become a Leader with 'Major Voice'

Tua Tagovailoa is putting in a lot of work this offseason to be a reliable presence on the field and leader in the locker room for the Miami Dolphins in 2023.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Saturday morning on SportsCenter that Tagovailoa is "completely healthy" right now after suffering multiple concussions last season, and he's been a "major voice" for the Dolphins in OTA practices this week:

"I've checked on his health, I was told he's completely healthy now. Not only that, but he's been working on that Jiu-Jitsu that you've heard about; how to fall forward, how to protect his head in the pocket. Well, I was told the Dolphins actually implemented some of those Jiu-Jitsu workouts with their quarterbacks before practices. So, trying to get everybody used to falling down and being able to protect yourselves. I was told Tua is also taking some leadership steps recently. There was a practice where it was a little bit sloppy. He stopped the whole thing, sort of talked to the offense, maybe even laid into them a little bit. I was told that's something Tua would not have done a couple of years ago, but now he's a major voice in Miami."

Tagovailoa told reporters in April he started taking jiu-jitsu classes primarily in an attempt to learn how to fall in such a way that would better protect him from hitting his head when he goes to the ground.

"Learned some grappling techniques," he explained. "Learned some other things too I don't think I should disclose, but for the most part learned how to fall. You know, you think it's easy, just don't fall and hit your head. There's a lot more to it."

The 25-year-old also admitted he "considered" retiring because of the physical and mental toll that last season took on him. He suffered two confirmed concussions during the 2022 campaign, including one in a Christmas Day loss to the Green Bay Packers that went unchecked during the game.

Despite the head injuries he suffered, Tagovailoa said his decision to keep playing football was impacted after doctors and specialists told him there's no evidence he's at greater risk of concussions or CTE going forward.

By his own admission, Tagovailoa hasn't historically been "the kind of person to get in front of people and scream and lead in that way" but "with my actions" and "in a way that helps our team get better."

The Dolphins did bet on Tagovailoa's ability to lead their offense going forward. They picked up the fifth-year option on his rookie contract well before the May 2 deadline, guaranteeing his $23.2 million salary in 2024.

While that is a significant financial investment in a player with an extensive injury history, Tagovailoa's performance when he was healthy last season suggests he's got a very high ceiling. He threw for 3,548 yards, 25 touchdowns and completed 64.8 percent of his attempts in 13 starts.

The Dolphins went 8-5 in those games. If Tagovailoa can do that over a full 17-game season, Miami has the potential to be a Super Bowl contender in the AFC.