Getty Tua Tagovailoa celebrates the 2018 national championship with his parents, Diane and Galu Tagovailoa.
Soon-to-be NFL quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is originally from Hawaii and is proud of his American Samoan heritage. Tua’s parents, Galu and Diane Tagovailoa, exercised tough love but helped make their son one of the best quarterbacks in the country at every level of football he has played so far. According to AL.com, Tua’s family moved to Alabaster, Alabama to be near their son when he became the Crimson Tide quarterback.
“For us to be around my son Tua … that’s the main reason for the move,” Tua’s dad Galu told AL.com. “We are a family and want to keep it as a family. That’s what the move is about.”
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Decades earlier, Tua’s grandfather, Seu, moved from American Samoa to Hawaii where his six daughters and three sons would later set down roots, per Sports Illustrated. Tua believes that his unique upbringing has helped him enjoy so much success.
“Respect was the biggest thing,” Tua explained to Sports Illustrated. “Discipline as well and our faith. We grew up reading the Bible and learning about God, and within our sports, within our schooling, we’d get disciplined if we didn’t do things the right way. Even around the house.”
Tua’s Brother Taulia Is Also a Quarterback at Alabama
Tua’s brother Taulia Tagovailoa moved with his family to Alabama where he played his senior year at Thompson High School. One year later, Taulia joined his older sibling to play at Alabama under Nick Saban.
Tua’s brother was limited to third-string action but will have a chance to compete for the starting job in 2020. Taulia played in three games last season and went 9-of-12 for 100 yards and a touchdown in limited action. Longtime football coach June Jones believes Taulia has the potential to be the future No. 1 pick in the NFL draft.
“I’m putting some pressure on him, but I really believe he can be a No. 1 draft pick by the time he gets done,” June told Bleacher Report. “Even though he’s probably only going to be 6’1″ or 6’2″, he’s going to be a special player. …And he’s going to keep getting better.”
Nick is not as prone to handing out compliments, so you won’t catch the Alabama coach talking about his pro potential yet. The Crimson Tide coach did admit Taulia has a lot of potential.
“Too early to tell [how good Taulia will be] there’s a lot of potential there,” Nick explained, per AL.com.
Tua’s Relies on the Family’s Christian Faith
One thing that is consistent about Tua’s family is their shared commitment to their Christian faith. Tua emerged onto the college football scene during the 2018 national championship game. The freshman quarterback entered the game with Alabama trailing at halftime and led the Crimson Tide to a comeback victory.
“All glory goes to God,” Tua told ESPN (via AL.com). “I can’t describe what He’s done for me and my family. Who would have ever thought I would have been here, right now in this moment. So, you know, thank God for that, and I’d just like to thank my teammates and coach Saban for giving me the opportunity.”