Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa Shows off New Arm Sleeve Tattoo in Training Camp Photo

May 16, 2023

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa apparently spent some time at the tattoo parlor between organized team activities and training camp.

Tagovailoa unveiled a new arm-sleeve tattoo on his right arm during the first day of camp on Wednesday.

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Tagovailoa was sporting a tattoo on his right shoulder during minocamp in June. There had been talk he added more ink to his arm before it was officially unveiled to the masses on Wednesday.

In a video posted to his Instagram on July 12, Tagovailoa was wearing a hooded sweatshirt that had his arms hidden but you can see there is a tattoo on his right wrist.

"When discussing his new body art recently," SI.com's Omar Kelly wrote on July 13, "Tagovailoa said he's paying homage to his Polynesian (Samoa) culture, mimicking the style of tattoo The Rock, a famous Samoan actor, has."

The tattoo is just one of the transformations Tagovailoa has undergone since the end of the 2022 season. The 25-year-old told ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques he was "falling a lot this offseason" as part of his jiu-jitsu training in an attempt to help protect his head and body on the field when he gets hit by a defender.

Tagovailoa suffered two diagnosed concussions last season, including one during a Christmas Day loss to the Green Bay Packers that wound up keeping him out for the rest of the year.

The Alabama alum told reporters in April he contemplated retirement because of his concussion issues in 2022.

In 13 starts for the Dolphins last year, Tagovailoa threw for 3,548 yards and 25 touchdowns. Miami made the playoffs as a wild card but lost 34-31 in a game started by Skylar Thompson.