How Bad is Tua Tagovailoa Actually?

From a National Champion in college, to an injury prone QB in the NFL, Tua Tagovailoa has become one of the most determined players the League has ever seen. Now fighting through his 3rd concussion with almost all odds stacked against him, how bad is tua tagovailoa actually?
In the beginning
Tua Tagovailoa was born in ʻEwa Beach, Hawaii, into a Samoan family as the oldest of four children. From a young age, Tua showed a strong passion for football and would even sleeping with a football under his arm every night. By the age of eight, he could throw passes much farther than his peers, and this talent helped him stand out early on.
His grandfather, Seu Tagovailoa, was a major influence in his life. Known as "Chief Tagovailoa" in the Samoan community, Seu believed that Tua would become a football star. After Seu’s death in 2014, Tua almost quit football but decided to continue playing to honor his grandfather’s memory.
Tua played high school football at Saint Louis School in Honolulu, the same school as 2014 Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota, who became a mentor to Tua. Going into high school he was already looked at as one of the best athletes on the team. He even won the QB battle over a senior in high school. During his first varsity season, he threw for 33 touchdowns and 2,583 passing yards. Tua credited his strong performances to his father’s discipline. If Tua threw an interception, his father would punish him, which motivated him to improve. In his senior year, Tua threw for 2,669 yards and 27 touchdowns, earning a spot in the All-American Bowl and being named MVP of the Elite 11, a prestigious group of top high school quarterbacks.
As a 5-star recruit, Tua had many offers from top colleges but ultimately chose the University of Alabama, if he new he was the number qb from Hawaii he had to play at the #1 school. enrolling in 2017. At Alabama, Tua initially backed up starting quarterback Jalen Hurts and even got to play with his brother taulia for a short time. He made his collegiate debut on September 9, 2017, in a game against Fresno State, where he completed six passes for 64 yards and his first touchdown. Tua continued to see action throughout the season in several blowout victories. His big break came during the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship, when Alabama was trailing Georgia. Head coach Nick Saban put Tua in the game in place of Hurts. Tua threw three touchdowns, including a 41-yard game-winner in overtime, helping Alabama win the national title and earning him the game’s Offensive MVP award.
In the 2018 season, Tua became Alabama’s starting quarterback, while hurts had top pretty much stand on the side lines for an entire year. Tua opened the season with a dominant performance against Louisville, throwing for 227 yards and two touchdowns. He continued to put up impressive stats throughout the year, finishing second in the Heisman Trophy voting to Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray. Despite losing the Heisman, Tua won the Walter Camp Award and Maxwell Award, both recognizing him as the best player in college football. In the 2018 Orange Bowl, Tua led Alabama to victory over Oklahoma, throwing four touchdowns and earning another Offensive MVP award. However, Alabama lost to Clemson in the National Championship game.
Tua’s junior season in 2019 started strong, with big wins against teams like Duke, South Carolina, and Ole Miss. He threw for over 400 yards in multiple games and set career-highs in touchdowns. However, he suffered a high ankle sprain in the seventh game of the season against Tennessee and had to undergo surgery. Nich Saban would regret this desicion looking back but I guess higns site is 20-20 Despite missing a game, Tua returned three weeks later for a showdown against LSU, where he threw for 413 yards and four touchdowns in a close loss. Unfortunately, Tua’s season ended early after he dislocated his hip during a game against Mississippi State. The injury was severe, requiring surgery and casting doubt on his football future.
Despite the injury, Tua declared for the 2020 NFL Draft, forgoing his senior year. He finished his college career with numerous Alabama and NCAA records, including the highest career passer rating of 199.4. He graduated from Alabama with a degree in communication studies in 2020.
fast forward....
On July 26, 2024, Tua signed a four-year, $212.4 million contract extension with the Dolphins, ensuring that he will remain the team's franchise quarterback through at least 2028. However, the season got off to a challenging start when Tua suffered another concussion during a Thursday Night Football game against the Buffalo Bills in September. Despite the setback, Tua’s future remains bright, and the Dolphins are confident that he will continue to lead the team to success in the years to come.