Tua Tagovailoa: It 'Means Everything' to Be with Alabama Teammates Amid Injury
Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is out for the remainder of the season with a hip injury, but he was thankful to be able to be on the sideline with his teammates as the Crimson Tide took on Western Carolina at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday.
"It means everything, you know," Tagovailoa said during an in-game interview. "Whether I'm feeling good or not, just being out here kind of uplifts my spirit. And I hope it does the same for them. But just being out here and being able to see football again, it's just great."
Tagovailoa suffered a dislocated hip and a posterior wall fracture during the first half of last week's 38-7 victory over Mississippi State. He underwent surgery Monday, officially putting an end to his junior season—and possibly Alabama career.
Though he was not able to take the field with his teammates, Tagovailoa made sure he was down on the sideline for Saturday's contest.
Being the final home game of the season for the Crimson Tide, the Bryant-Denny Stadium crowd made sure to show the star quarterback some love as he made his way to the sideline:
"I also want to thank the fanbase for the amount of support that they've given me and my family as well as prayers," Tagovailoa said.
Tagovailoa completed 71.4 percent of his passes for 2,840 yards, 33 touchdowns and three interceptions this season. He went 8-1 as Alabama's starter this year, helping the Crimson Tide to a No. 5 ranking in the latest College Football Playoff standings.
The 21-year-old is expected to make a full recovery, though he is unlikely to resume throwing until the spring.
