A Huge Part of Tua Tagovailoa's Rehab is to Keep Pumping the Brakes

Part of agent Leigh Steinberg's job is to make sure the quarterback doesn't do too much, too soon

Alabama Athletics

He's lost the crutches and the medical tests have all been good so far.

But the healing process is of only half of the medical key for Tua Tagovailoa, who is coming off a major hip injury. The rest is allowing it to occur and not trying to do too much, too soon.

"He's recovering quickly," Tagovailoa's agent Leigh Steinberg said. "He has remarkable rehabilitation, recuperative powers. We're just letting him heal, but he's already moving around."

Thursday morning, the former Alabama quarterback and Steinberg hit radio row at the Super Bowl in South Florida, but the agent also took a few minutes to talk with the Jay Barker Show (flagship station Tide 100.9 in Tuscaloosa).

While Tagovailoa said his main focus "is to win my medical" at the upcoming NFL combine, Steinberg called for a little more caution. 

"I think people need to remember that football is not croquet," he said. "You're not playing bridge. A good number of players who came out of school last year are injured every year. So I've been through this before. We'll see how he's doing in late February.

"Certainly if he's ahead of schedule will let the doctors take a look at him."

For many players the medical tests are the most important part of the combine, which will be held Feb. 23-March 2 in Indianapolis. A team of physicians is paid to poke, prod and figure out anything that could potentially influence a player's potential in the league. 

They especially go over old injuries, and the process is known for not being overly pleasant. 

Steinberg, who has represented 62 first-round picks, including eight overall-first selections, and 10 Hall of Fame players over the years, called it "The mother of all physicals."

This will be agent Leigh Steinberg's 46th draft. The agent is 70 years old. 

However, he's optimistic that Tagovailoa will be able to work out for teams in some form. 

"I'm sure quick sure that prior to the draft  he'll be able to work out and do workouts for teams, and maybe have the equivalent of a pro scouting day," he said. "It may be later than Alabama's, and teams are going to get really excited because the hardest position to fill in football is that of a franchise quarterback — someone you can build around for 10 to 12 years."

Alabama's Pro Day is set for March 24. 

The 2020 NFL Draft is set for April 23-24 in Las Vegas. 

What Tua Tagovailoa Said at the Super Bowl About His Injury Recovery and the NFL Draft

Tagovailoa and wide receiver Jerry Jeudy are the first clients the high-profile agent has had from Alabama since prize linebacker Derrick Thomas.

Should he continue to progress physically Tagovailoa is widely being hailed a possible top-five selection. Steinberg said he believes Jeudy will go in the top 10.

"He runs really precise routes, which you don't expect from a college player, and he's absolutely explosive when he catches the ball," Steinberg said. "So I see him as the top wide receiver in the group. 

"It just depends which team falls in love with him."