Tua Tagovailoa’s commitment to his off-season conditioning has certainly drawn attention, though not all of it has been serious. While the Miami Dolphins’ quarterback’s leaner appearance has been a point of jest among teammates, particularly Tyreek Hill, it has also impressed head coach Mike McDaniel.
During the team’s initial training camps, Hill couldn’t resist commenting on Tagovailoa’s transformation, jokingly suggesting, “Seeing him now and where he’s come from and how skinny he’s gotten – what’s that stuff everybody is taking? Ozempic? He had to be taking that, I don’t know.”
The joke sparked laughter among the team, including wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, who quipped, “I told him, ‘I miss chubby Tua, man.'”
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However, not everyone took the joke lightly, especially McDaniel. At a press conference on Thursday, McDaniel playfully expressed his faux outrage, saying, “I was literally mad. Like, man, I should have thought of that joke. It’s so topical.” Yet, behind the humor, McDaniel expressed genuine recognition of Tagovailoa’s dedication, noting, “He’s really taken his diet seriously…He hasn’t done things to lose weight, he has done things to stay in shape.”
McDaniel later revealed that he took Hill’s joke a bit personally, admitting, “I’m okay not being the tallest guy or the most physically imposing, but (I) like to have, like, a lesser joke, and I caught wind of, you know, reeks, and that was so strong…”
Tagovailoa himself has been relatively quiet about his weight loss, which is estimated to be between 10 and 15 pounds. When asked about it, he simply responded, “I don’t know. It’s whatever I’m down to right now.”
Reflecting on his new physique, Tagovailoa noted, “I feel better, quicker on my feet, more nimble, all of that.” He emphasized that his weight loss was about enhancing his ability to extend plays, aiming for improvements not just in the off-season but also during training camp and beyond.
McDaniel praised Tagovailoa’s approach, emphasizing that his efforts weren’t about fixing a problem but rather striving for excellence. “Honestly, it’s just Tua trying to find another level of his game and another level of being a professional… It wasn’t to correct something that needed to be fixed; it was an opportunity to get better, in his mind, I think.”
