Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has discovered a singular method to fight his concussion issues.
Tagovailoa, in his first public feedback since his third NFL season was reduce brief as a consequence of a second stint within the league’s concussion protocol, revealed Friday he’s taking up judo as soon as every week within the 2023 offseason.
“We got a plan set up, and I’ll be doing judo on Fridays, just so that I can kind of figure out understanding my body and how to fall,” Tagovailoa told FanDuel’s “Up & Adams” TV show. “Just trying to help myself.”
Tagovailoa’s two identified concussions within the 2022 season — amongst three vital blows to the top he sustained — induced him to overlook 5 1/2 video games. The final one, which led him to enter protocol Dec. 26, the day after Miami’s loss to the Green Bay Packers, sidelined him the ultimate two regular-season video games plus the playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills. It took 37 days for him to be cleared via the NFL’s five-step course of to return to play. He additionally was held out of collaborating within the Pro Bowl as an AFC alternate.
Tagovailoa additionally missed two video games and the second half of the Sept. 29 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals after successful that drove him into the bottom induced him to lie immobile on the sphere with arms in a fencing response place. He was stretchered off the sphere and admitted to a Cincinnati hospital.
Four days earlier, in a win over the Bills, Tagovailoa displayed concussion signs when he was pushed again, banged his head in opposition to the turf and stumbled as he obtained up. That time at Hard Rock Stadium, nevertheless, he was cleared to return for the second half in opposition to Buffalo and to play the following Thursday evening sport in opposition to the Bengals after medical doctors deemed he was merely enjoying via a again harm.
“I don’t think it forces me to be afraid of wanting to come back and play,” Tagovailoa stated of the fixed bother with head accidents. “It definitely makes me want to do things to help myself by, hopefully, not being in those positions next year.”
The different regarding facet is that no less than two of the three cases occurred on pretty routine performs that weren’t egregiously laborious hits.
One of the core ideas of judo, the Japanese martial artwork and Olympic sport, is to regulate and evade an opponent’s assault as an alternative of resisting their energy. Some judo ways and techniques might create muscle reminiscence for Tagovailoa to land in higher methods upon taking hits to preserve his physique — and head.
Aside from the harm considerations, Tagovailoa had a profitable third skilled season, main the league in passer score (105.5) and yards per move try (8.9). He threw a career-high 25 touchdowns to eight interceptions, finishing 64.8 p.c of passes for 3,548 yards.
The Dolphins have publicly dedicated to Tagovailoa as their beginning quarterback in 2023, the ultimate season on his rookie contract. The staff additionally has a fifth-year possibility at $23.17 million on the desk for 2024, with a May 1 deadline to train it.
Beyond his soccer profession, Tagovailoa is impressed to remain wholesome after turning into a father throughout the previous 12 months.
“It’s the best thing in the world,” Tagovailoa stated. “Changes your lens on everything. I would say, for me, most importantly, how you talk to people, how you treat people, how you look at other kids. Life becomes enhanced.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com