Olympic champion invites Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa to train in MMA

Two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo and Professional Fighters League star Kayla Harrison extended an invitation to Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. 

"If he wants to come by American Top Team (Harrison's gym located in Florida) and get a lesson from a two-time Olympic champion, I'm more than willing to help him," Harrison said about Tagovailoa while speaking with ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques for a piece published Thursday. "He's always welcome here. I'm excited to see his progress."

Tagovailoa has spent portions of the offseason training in jiu-jitsu and recently sported a newly-designed helmet made specifically for quarterbacks in an attempt to avoid the type of head injuries that nearly derailed his career. The 25-year-old admitted in April he had considered retiring this offseason after suffering a minimum of two reported concussions during the 2022 campaign. He was in the concussion protocol from shortly after Christmas Day through the end of January. 

In May, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel noted he had "incorporated" aspects of Tagovailoa's training "into some of the drill work we do with the quarterbacks." Harrison understands why Tagovailoa and McDaniel embraced the idea of Miami signal-callers using jiu-jitsu "to learn how to fall" in a way that could prevent in-game concussions. 

"When you're in a specific sport, you're using the same muscles over and over and over again," Harrison explained. "You're breaking those [muscles] down and wearing those down. So in the offseason, to train and use your brain in a different way, to use different muscles is I think super beneficial to athletes, and I think science shows that as well...I do think it's beneficial for football, for sure."

The Dolphins have picked up the fifth-year option attached to Tagovailoa's rookie contract that guarantees him roughly $23.2M for 2024. They did so without knowing, for sure, that the quarterback can stay healthy for a minimum of 17 games following all that occurred last season. In short, McDaniel should push for the 2020 first-round draft pick to accept Harrison's invitation during the summer break, as Tagovailoa can't receive too much help as it pertains to remaining available for the Dolphins.