Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa opens up about trying to stay healthy this season

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has again addressed how he's attempting to avoid the types of injury setbacks that prematurely ended his 2022 campaign and threatened his career this offseason. 

"Just a lot of heavier weights, a lot more reps with the heavier weights," Tagovailoa said about his workouts, as shared by Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. "Everything I did this offseason entailed to what would keep me on the field for the entirety of the season. We understand that freaky things can happen. It’s football, it’s a physical sport, not everything you prepare for is what you can get. But I did the best I could to get myself ready and prep for this season as far as injuries go." 

Retired signal-caller Michael Vick advised Tagovailoa earlier this summer "to bulk up a little bit" after the 25-year-old suffered a minimum of two reported concussions last season and then missed Miami's final three games, including the playoffs, while in the league's concussion protocol. Tagovailoa revealed earlier in the offseason that he trained in jiu-jitsu to try to learn how to fall in ways to prevent future head injuries, and he again mentioned that training during his latest comments. 

He's also practiced wearing a newly designed helmet meant to reduce concussions.

"If you look at last year, it wasn’t anyone hitting my head, it was really just the ground," Tagovailoa explained about wearing a different helmet than what he used during training camp in 2022. 

Miami picked up the fifth-year option attached to Tagovailoa's rookie contract this spring, but that decision doesn't necessarily guarantee the 2020 first-round draft pick will still be atop the club's depth chart or even on the Dolphins' roster next August. 

Tagovailoa noted in July he has to prove he can stay healthy through an entire campaign to receive a true long-term commitment from his current employer or a different club. He'll look to silence doubters beginning when Miami opens the regular season at the Los Angeles Chargers on Sept. 10.