Tua Tagovailoa | Biography, Age, Height, Salary, Net Worth, Education, and Facts.

Tua Tagovailoa is the starting quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). Tagovailoa is a player who polarizes opinion due to the inconsistent nature of his play: one game, he is a world-beater, and he is a chump the next.

The 25-year-old has the potential to become a top-tier quarterback and could guide the Miami Dolphins to a long overdue Super Bowl appearance this season. Want to know more about Tagovailoa? Then keep reading to find out.

Tua Tagovailoa Early Life and Education

Born on March 2, 1988, in ‘Ewa Beach, Hawaii, Tagovailoa is the oldest of four children in a Samoan family. Becoming a professional football player is something Tagovailoa dreamed of as a young child, often sleeping with a football under his arm each night. He began playing Pop Warner games when he was eight and could throw 30 yards, while his peers could only manage passes of around 10 yards.

Tagovailoa began playing varsity football for Saint Louis School in Honolulu, Hawaii, and became a star of his age group. Although naturally right-handed, Tagovaloa’s father taught him to three left-handed, and the change worked.

Tagovailoa’s high school performances were so good that he was deemed a four-star recruit and had 17 offers to play college football. He eventually chose Alabama, which saw the latest NCAAF betting odds slashed for the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Tua Tagovailoa College Years

Tagovailoa attended Alabama between 2017 and 2019 and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communication studies. However, his athletic ability and not his academic ability caught people’s attention. Tagovailoa stands 6ft 1in tall and weighs 227 pounds.

In 2017, Tagovailoa was the backup to Jalen Hurts, a player who has since forged a successful NFL career. Tagovailoa was promoted to starting quarterback for the Crimson Tide in 2018. He did not relinquish his place in the starting line-up until a severe injury in 2019 ended his college playing days.

Tagovailao sustained a dislocated and broken hip, a broken nose, and a concussion. Until that potentially career-threatening injury, Tagovailoa was projected to be the number one overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Tua Tagovailoa Professional Career

Despite the previously mentioned hip injury, the Miami Dolphins selected Tagovailoa as the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. The Hawaii native put pen to paper on a four-year $30 million deal but was named as the backup to veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Tagovailoa became the Miami Dolphins’ starting quarterback from Week 8 onwards, finishing the regular season with 1,814 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Tagovailoa kept his place for the 2021 campaign, although injuries limited him to 12 starts. The Dolphins won seven of the games Tagovailoa started, and his end-of-season statistics included 2,653 passing yards and 16 touchdowns.

Last season, Tagovailoa showed the NFL his capabilities. Not only did he throw a career-best 3,548 yards and 25 touchdowns, but he led the league in Yards Per Passing Attempt (8.9) and Passer Rating (105.5). Had Tagovailoa not sat out four games because of concussion protocols, the Miami Dolphins would likely have had a chance to progress to their first Super Bowl since 1984.

Tagovailoa has started the 2023 regular season in fine form, throwing 1,306 yards and nine touchdowns across the opening four games. He should surpass 10,000 passing yards for the Dolphins in the next couple of weeks.

Tua Tagovailoa Personal Life and Net Worth

Tagovailoa is an evangelical Christian who married his long-term girlfriend, Annah, in 2022. The couple have one son, Ace. Football runs in the Tagovailoa family. His brother, Taulia, plays college football for the Maryland Terrapins, while two of his cousins, Adam Tagovailoa-Amosa and Adam Amosa-Tagovailoa, play for the Las Vegas Raiders and the Navy, respectively.

Latest estimates put Tagovailoa’s net worth in the region of $4 million, although that number should skyrocket in the next couple of years.

Tagovailoa will receive a base salary of $23,171,000 in 2023 and is highly likely to sign a new lucrative contract once his current deal expires.

Tua Tagovailoa Business Interests and Philanthropy

Having risen to stardom from humble beginnings, Tagovailoa is a charitable soul who is paying it back to his community. In February 2021, Tagovailoa established the Tua Foundation, a nonprofit company that supports youth initiatives and more for youngsters in his native Hawaii, Alabama, and Miami.

Tagovailao donated a $300,000 scholarship endowment to benefit his high school. He helped raise over $90,000 to cover the funeral expenses for eight juveniles who died following a car crash in August 2021. The Tua Foundation footed the bill for counseling for the Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch survivors.

Conclusion

Tagovailoa has undoubted ability and has the potential to become one of the greatest quarterbacks in the long history of the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins’ management has built a team of top-tier wide receivers for Tagovailoa to pass to, which will only help his rise through the ranks.

The only thing seemingly standing in Tagovailoa’s way is his niggling injury record. He missed five regular season games in 2021 and another four in 2022. Here is hoping he stays injury-free throughout 2023 and beyond.

Away from the football field, Tagovailoa is a true gentleman, one who recognizes he is fortunate to be where he is today. He remains close to his family, is a loving and doting father, and is a religious man who goes the extra mile for those in need.

Tagovailao may “only” be worth approximately $4 million at the time of writing, but his earning potential is off the charts.

When you see the Dallas Cowboys tying Dak Prescott to a $160 million deal and the New York Giants paying Daniel Jones the same $160 million, Tagovailoa could command a nine-figure contract in the next year or two.

Throw some lucrative endorsement and sponsorship deals into the mix, and you can easily see that it is highly likely that Tagovailoa will become Hawaii’s highest-paid athlete of all time.