Tua Tagovailoa will play in the National Football League for a long time.
In making his debut as a starter for the Miami Dolphins versus the Los Angeles Rams, the fear that both Alabama and Dolphin fans had was whether or not he would be able to take a hit.
Tagovailoa had not played competitive football since his hip injury against Mississippi State last year. In facing a defense that has the likes of Aaron Donald, the former Crimson Tide standout and No. 5 overall pick in April was able to have some success in the passing game.
Although the Dolphins got scores from its defense and special teams, Tagovailoa did toss his first career touchdown pass and completed 12 of 22 attempts for 93 yards.
.@Tua Tagovailoa throws his first career touchdown! @DeVanteParker11 #FinsUp
?: #LARvsMIA on FOX
?: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/J6oAb5WnGm pic.twitter.com/b7reiEzaLe— NFL (@NFL) November 1, 2020
For him, the best part of the game was knowing that his body could take a hit.
Tagovailoa was sacked by Donald in the first quarter and fumbled the ball. It was the lone sack he took, but Michael Brockers and Leonard Floyd also put in him on the ground after he released the ball. According to Cameron Wolfe, an ESPN reporter for the Miami Dolphins, Tagovailoa said he did enjoy getting hit like that for the first time.
Tua Tagovailoa: “I don’t think I played to the standard that this offense is capable of… Thank God we’ve got a good defense.”
On his first hit: “Idk who it was that took me off my feet and body-slammed me… I’m not going to lie, I did enjoy getting hit that first time.” pic.twitter.com/8qCcWPTcxI
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) November 1, 2020
He suffered some dropped passes, despite DeVante Parker bringing his scoring toss.
Tagovailoa was on the winning side of a 28-17 matchup, earning his first victory as the starter.
He still has a journey to travel, when it comes to being a successful quarterback in this league, but Sunday’s progression is a good start for him.
RELATED: WATCH Tua Tagovailoa’s first career NFL touchdown pass
After helping the Crimson Tide to a national championship in 2017 and achieving so many accolades, the Dolphins believe it has something special in the native Hawaiian. It wants to see what the future holds, and one must understand if the future is prepared to go. Tagovailoa showed some positive signs against the Rams, and hopefully he will continue to grow.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
