Much is made of Tom Brady’s remarkable work ethic and insatiable desire to win, but the real secret to his unprecedented longevity is not getting hit. Whether it’s superior instincts or his throwing mechanics, allowing him to get rid of the ball faster than most, Brady is a master at minimizing contact, sparing himself from unnecessary hits in spite of being one of the least mobile quarterbacks in football. It also doesn’t hurt that Brady is every bit of 6’4,” 225 pounds.
Though there will always be exceptions, players who last in the NFL tend to be physical marvels with rare strength and resiliency. Relative to his quarterback peers, Tua Tagovailoa embodies none of those traits, constantly putting himself in harm’s way with erratic decision-making, suspect pocket awareness and a body that just doesn’t seem built for the NFL. While random probability can never be completely discounted, Tagovailoa’s injury woes, suffering three concussions in a span of only a few months, can’t be a coincidence at this point.
Not only is Tagovailoa’s NFL future hanging in the balance, but so is his quality of life, potentially risking serious health consequences including CTE. It all puts Miami in an impossible position, left to decide whether Tua warrants the kind of long-term commitment afforded to most franchise quarterbacks headed into their second contract. Tagovailoa’s elite accuracy and seeming comfortability in Mike McDaniel’s fast-paced offense are reasons for optimism, though former Saints coach Sean Payton has his doubts, preferring larger, more durable quarterbacks in the mold of Josh Allen and Justin Herbert.
“Let’s not draft small players in the first 15 picks anymore. Let’s not get away from prototype,” said Payton during his appearance on The Herd with Colin Cowherd. “Those early picks have to be protype players.”
If Payton had followed his own advice, he would have missed out on a generational talent in Drew Brees, arguably the most successful player in Saints franchise history. Judging players solely on their physical traits seems archaic, bordering on lazy, though, to Payton’s point, quarterbacks of smaller stature tend to have a shorter (no pun intended) shelf life, with Johnny Manziel and Baker Mayfield cited as recent examples of that phenomenon. Even shoo-in Hall-of-Famer Russell Wilson appears to have hit a wall, with years of injuries finally taking their toll.
“Let’s say you’re looking at a corner. And our requirement for prototype at that position is 5’11.’ And we’re going to take this player in the first six or seven picks,” said Payton, who many anticipate will return to coaching after spending this year in the Fox broadcast booth. “There’s a point where you turn and say—and Bill [Parcells] used to say this—does he walk on water?”
Teams will be asking that of Heisman winner and projected first-round pick Bryce Young, whose measurables (6’0”/194) will no doubt be one of the major talking points leading up to April’s NFL Draft.
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