The Miami Dolphins are adding a new element to their practices in 2023, incorporating quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's martial arts into the team's training.
Tagovailoa said earlier this offseason that he would be working with jiu-jitsu instructors to get a better handle on how to fall safely, and how to avoid hitting his head on the ground and causing concussions, per Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith.
It looks like Mike McDaniel will be adding that training to the entire team this offseason.
“Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel said they've incorporated some of Tua Tagovailoa's jiu jitsu training into their practices noting QBs often don't get hit or fall until September,” wrote NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe on Tuesday. “Core strength is very important in transfer of energy to ground & protecting yourself/minimizing injuries.”
It's a completely unorthodox change, but makes a lot of sense based on Wolfe's reporting. McDaniel said on Tuesday that Tagovailoa had taken the training very seriously, and the type of work he is doing is valuable for all quarterbacks, especially as they rarely get hit until the season starts and could use practice on breaking their falls properly to protect themselves, per Smith.
“I've seen a guy that has followed through on his words as much as any young man I've come across in my career,” McDaniel said on Tuesday, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. “You talk about going above and beyond [with] training and martial arts. We've incorporated it into some of the drill work we do with the quarterbacks.”
Protecting Tua Tagovailoa will be an absolute top priority for the Miami Dolphins in 2023 after the nightmare of a season he had in 2022, marred by multiple concussions.
It looks like they are already making great strides to protect their No. 1 quarterback, especially as McDaniel said that his top QB has taken productive steps already in learning how to protect his head when he hits the ground.
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