Tua Forever Grateful to Dolphins

Miami Dolphins rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa explained why it was important to him to give head coach Brian Flores a game after the victory at Arizona

Approaching the one-year anniversary of the hip injury that almost ended his football career, Tua Tagovailoa is feeling blessed to still be able to play quarterback at a high level.

He also continues to be grateful to the Miami Dolphins for selecting him with the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft when there were still questions as to whether he could make it back from the injury.

That's what was going through his mind after his brilliant performance in the Dolphins' 34-31 victory against the Arizona Cardinals when he ran off the field with a game ball and proceeded to give to head coach Brian Flores.

The scene was captured by NFL Films, with Flores initially telling Tua the game ball belonged to him before the quarterback insisted on Flores taking it.

.@Tua showed love to his coach after his 1st career comeback win 👏@miamidolphins pic.twitter.com/K5zuqRJVvn

— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) November 10, 2020

Tagovailoa explained Wednesday what was going through his mind.

“Yeah, well, I saw Flo and Flo was waving and I had a game ball," Tagovailoa said. "When I went up to him, it was just one of those like … for me, it was like, 'Thank you for taking the shot on me.' Because a year ago, who would have known. ... The Miami Dolphins decided to take a chance on me. So … that was awesome.”

Next Monday, the day after the Dolphins face the Los Angeles Chargers at Hard Rock Stadium, will mark the one-year anniversary of the hip injury Tagovailoa sustained against Mississippi State that ended his brilliant career at the University of Alabama.

Tagovailoa certainly looked like his old college self against Arizona last Sunday when he not only passed for 248 yards but scrambled seven times for 35 yards, including a nifty 19-yard run where he juked past Cardinals safety Budda Baker.

But Tagovailoa said Wednesday he doesn't feel as though he's back to normal and doesn't know whether that ever will happen.

“Oh man, I don’t know if I’ll ever be my old self because when something traumatic like that happens, it’s just a continuous process, I think for me," Tua said. "(I'm) just continuing to focus on what I need to do to continue to strengthen the muscles around my hip and so forth and just continue to stay on rehab.

"It’s been a journey. It’s just been a journey. Just looking back at that whole process literally, almost a year (ago), we’re making the decision to decide if I was going to play again or not. I’m just blessed to be here.”