Tua Tagovailoa may very well be the greatest quarterback in Alabama history but Paul Finebaum can’t help but wonder what more the Crimson Tide signal-caller could have accomplished had he not gotten hurt during his career.
While Finebaum was eager to praise Tagovailoa for all he accomplished during his run as Alabama’s starting quarterback in a recent radio interview with WNSP Sports Radio 105.5 FM, when asked to touch on Tua’s ultimate legacy, the SEC Network host wished we all could have seen it end differently.
“It will be incredibly great, however, I think it is somewhat incomplete,” Finebaum said during his appearance. “And I hate to say that because of the great talent of Tua, but by getting hurt twice, having it affect the last two seasons, I think he will be deprived of absolute Namath-type royalty status.
“I don’t think there’s any question he’s the best quarterback in Alabama history but the fact that his last two seasons were not – I don’t think they were completely filled. He’s forever be remembered for the second-and-26 play. That goes without saying.”
When asked how he believes Alabama fans will judge Tagovailoa’s career five years from now, Finebaum noted that the quarterback delivered the program a national championship with the greatest play he’s ever seen, but suggested history will judge Tua based on how well he does at the next level.
“It’s frustrating because it could have been a perfect couple of years. He didn’t win the Heisman, and you say, ‘Well, that’s hard to do.’ Yeah, but Mark Ingram and Derrick Henry did,” Finebaum continued. “I think we will be debating this five years from now when hopefully we are still talking. I think what he’s doing in the NFL will help shape what we are talking about in relation to Alabama.”
Finebaum makes some good points as it’s hard to argue that Tagovailoa isn’t the best quarterback in school history and the best to suit up for Nick Saban. However, despite playing for the best coach of all time during arguably the greatest run in college football history, Tua and Alabama managed to win only one national championship and one SEC championship during their time together.
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
