Tua Tagovailoa is using martial arts jiu-jitsu in pre-season training with the Miami Dolphins to protect himself from further head injuries by falling properly. The quarterback is also said to have taken a big step forward in terms of leadership.

Relief for the Miami Dolphins!

As reported by Jeremy Fowler of “ESPN” on “SportsCenter”, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is now “fully recovered” after suffering multiple concussions last season and has already played a “significant role” in OTA practices this past week.

To avoid further head injuries in the future, the franchise is digging deep into its bag of tricks during the preseason. “I’m told the Dolphins have actually done some jiu-jitsu workouts with their quarterbacks before practice. They are trying to get the players used to dropping properly and thus protecting themselves,” Fowler pointed out.

Tagovailoa himself already explained in April that he was engaged in appropriate martial arts exercises: “I have learned some grip techniques and also a few other things, but I should not reveal them. But above all, I have learnt how to fall properly. You think it’s easy, just not to fall and hit your head. But there’s a lot more to it. “

Tua Tagovailoa thought of early career end

The 25-year-old admitted he had even “considered” an early retirement due to the physical and mental strain from last season.

The playmaker suffered two confirmed concussions in the 2022 season, including one in the loss to the Green Bay Packers on Christmas Day, but was not treated during the game.

Despite the head injuries suffered, the 2020 first-round pick said his decision to continue playing football was made after ample deliberation.

Doctors and specialists had assured him that there would be no evidence of an increased risk of further concussions or, for example, the neurodegenerative disease CTE, which occurs from repeated blows to the head but can only be detected posthumously.

With the certainty of his health, the playmaker now wants to really attack.

Miami Dolphins: Tua Tagovailoa takes leadership role

In his fourth season in the NFL, Tagovailoa wants to take on significantly more responsibility, according to Fowler: “I’ve been told that Tua has been taking on some leadership roles lately as well. There was one practice where it got a little sloppy. He’s been stopping the whole thing, talking to the offence and maybe even tamping them down a little bit.”

The playmaker also took a big step forward in terms of leadership, he said. “I was told Tua wouldn’t have done something like that a couple of years ago, but now he’s a major voice in Miami,” the reporter further explained.

The Dolphins are counting on Tagovailoa’s continued development to lead their offense in the future and build it into a Super Bowl contender. As such, the franchise pulled the fifth-year option on his rookie contract well before the deadline, guaranteeing him a $23.2 million salary in 2024.