Tua Tagovailoa’s health will remain everyone’s primary concern for the rest of his career.
The Miami Dolphins quarterback suffered two reported concussions — and another suspected one the team claimed was back spasms — during the 2022 season. When talking to Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill, Vick offered advice on how he thinks Tagovailoa can better protect himself moving forward.
“I just think he’s got to bulk up a little bit,” Vick said on Hill’s It Needed To Be Said podcast (h/t Pro Football Talk). “Get a little bit bigger. Get stronger. As you grow into your man body, that’s what needs to happen. Ain’t nothing wrong with picking up another 10 pounds, 15 pounds.”
Vick added that the most important thing is “don’t get hit” and “knocked around.” Hill countered that it was easier for Vick to avoid contact because of his speed.
Mike Vick has some simple advice for Tua Tagovailoa: Put on 10-15 pounds, and try to avoid getting “knocked around.” https://t.co/5JHmxyT6ae
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) July 4, 2023
Listed at 6-foot-1 and 217 pounds, Tagovailoa is close to Vick’s playing size. Since avoiding contact altogether is an unrealistic goal for any NFL player, the 25-year-old has practiced jiu-jitsu during the offseason to brace himself for falls.
When bringing up his teammate, Hill doubled down on declaring Tagovailoa the NFL’s most accurate quarterback. Vick initially concurred, potentially thinking Hill was referring to former teammate Patrick Mahomes, but he quickly retreated despite being a “big fan” of the former Alabama star.
“I ain’t gonna say the most accurate, I’m just saying like his ball — he throw a catchable ball,” Vick said. “He throw a real catchable ball.”
Not playing football is likely the only true way for Tagovailoa to fully protect his head, but he’s gearing up for his fourth season in South Beach.