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Tua Tagovailoa pays homage to his Hawaiian heritage as he arrives for his first NFL start
By Keith Farner
Published:
Former Alabama star QB Tua Tagovailoa arrived Sunday morning for his first NFL start, and did it with special homage to his Hawaiian roots with clothes and jewelry clearly from where he grew up.
It is still less than a year since Tagovailoa suffered a season-ending hip injury against Mississippi State, which at the time threatened his college and NFL career. But since then, the Miami Dolphins drafted him No. 5 overall, and set in motion a path for Tagovailoa to become a franchise quarterback. Before the Miami bye week two weeks ago, it was announced that Tagovailoa would be the starter, and he gets his first chance today against the Los Angeles Rams.
Coach Brian Flores has seen enough from Tagovailoa’s performance in practice, and a brief appearance in a game two weeks ago, to elevate him over Ryan Fitzpatrick. The Dolphins are 3-3 and looking for their third straight win.
“It has been a long time coming,” Tagovailoa said, per the Associated Press. “I don’t know what the hit is going to feel like. Every hit is different that you take in football, and I don’t think you can ever prepare for hits. It’s just something you have to go out knowing it’s going to happen.”
Aqua looking good @Tua 🔥 pic.twitter.com/xJ98d5LgxM
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) November 1, 2020
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
