Recent remarks from ESPN analyst Ryan Clark on the physical transformation of Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa have grabbed headlines. Clark, an ex-NFL defensive back, during his appearance on ESPN’s “NFL Live” made a bold assertion,
Let me tell you what he wasn’t doing – he wasn’t in the gym, I bet you that. He might have spent a lot of time in the tattoo parlor. He was not at the dinner table eating what the nutritionist had advised. He looks happy. He thick. He built like girls [working] at Onyx in Atlanta right now.
To clarify, Onyx is a renowned strip club in Atlanta.
With a 10-pound increase in weight from the previous year, now listed at 227 pounds in the Dolphins‘ training camp roster, Tua Tagovailoa didn’t let the comments slide without a response.
Starting off with a touch of irony, Tua stated, “I mean he probably knows more about me than I know about myself.” He expressed his discomfort, noting, “It’s a little weird when other people are talking about other people.”
The quarterback’s reaction went a little deeper as he highlighted the importance of respect, drawing from his Samoan background. “I come from a Samoan family where respect is everything,” Tagovailoa emphasized. He added
But it does get to a point where – hey, little easy on that, buddy. Because I think we’re pretty tough-minded people, and if we need to get scrappy, we can get scrappy, too. Just saying.
Tua gained weight to protect his body
Tagovailoa‘s changes in his physique are intentional. Hoping a stronger frame would guard him against injuries, he said, “Everything I did this offseason entailed what would keep me on the field for the entirety of the season.” While the quarterback admitted to bulking up, it wasn’t exactly what he wanted. “You think I wanted to build all this muscle? Nah,” he said, suggesting there’s more behind-the-scenes than what’s apparent.
Tua didn’t hold his tongue with his closing statement to the media, that seemed to be aimed directly at Clark:
So I’d appreciate if you kept my name out your mouth, that’s what I’d say.
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