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    Taulia Tagovailoa Lands in the CFL With the Hamilton Tiger-Cats

    After participating in tryouts with multiple NFL teams, UDFA QB Taulia Tagovailoa has signed with the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

    With NFL mandatory minicamps underway, Taulia Tagovailoa has not landed on a roster. As a result, the former Maryland quarterback is signing with the Canadian Football League’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

    Taulia Tagovailoa Signs With the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the CFL

    The Tiger-Cats announced Monday afternoon that Tagovailoa would be joining the squad’s practice roster. The signing came after Tagovailoa participated in NFL rookie mini-camps with the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals.

    The Tiger-Cats’ season began just last week, with the team falling to the Calgary Stampeders 32-24. The team’s quarterback room is led by Bo Levi Mitchell, followed by Taylor Powell and Harrison Frost.

    However, as he was signed to the practice roster, Tagovailoa is not on the gameday roster. He is the only quarterback on the practice roster, joining wide receivers Dezmon Patmon, Tyler Ternowski, and Kaylon Geiger. Additionally, running back Greg Bell and offensive lineman Brandon Kemp are the only other offensive players.

    Get To Know Tagovailoa

    Tagovailoa was born Feb. 15, 2000, in ‘Ewa Beach, Hawaii, where he was also raised. For school, however, he attended Thompson High School in Alabaster, Ala. He grew up alongside his brother, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, following him to Alabama for college.

    In addition to Tua, Taulia’s family consists of his parents Galu and Diane Tagovailoa and his two sisters Taylor and Taysia. Taulia played center for Tua from Grades 4-6 and was a setter during family volleyball matches.

    At Thompson High School, the younger Tagovailoa brother was a unanimous four-star prospect. He threw for 3,728 yards and 35 touchdowns as a senior and rewrote Alabama high school record books, becoming the only quarterback in state history to have at least four 400-yard passing performances.

    During his one season at Alabama, he was the backup to his brother and Mac Jones, who is now on the Jacksonville Jaguars. With his brother in the NFL and Jones taking the starting job at Alabama, Tagovailoa transferred to Maryland, where he spent the rest of his college career.

    Revisiting Tagovailoa’s College Career

    In his first year after transferring to Maryland, Tagovailoa started all four games in a shortened season due to the COVID-19 outbreak. His most notable moment was leading Maryland to a win over Penn State, ending the five-game losing streak the team had to Penn State.

    In his second year with the team, he returned once again as the starting quarterback, starting all 13 games. He passed for 3,860 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He led Maryland to its first winning season since 2014 and the program’s first bowl bid since 2016.

    Then came Year 3, when Tagovailoa missed one game due to a knee injury. Despite that, he still passed for 3,008 yards, 18 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He led the team to an 8-5 record, appearing in another bowl game.

    He announced he would forgo the 2023 NFL Draft to return for one more season before, finally, his college career concluded in 2023. He passed for 3,377 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.

    Ultimately, during his time at Maryland, Tagovailoa became the Big Ten’s all-time passing leader. He passed for 11,256 yards, 76 touchdowns, and 37 interceptions. He also rushed for 206 yards and 13 more touchdowns.

    In addition to his stats, he also won a handful of awards. He was a two-time second-team All-Big Ten member, earning the honor in 2022 and 2023. He was the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year in 2023 and the Pinstripe Bowl MVP in 2021.

    MORE: Why Wasn’t Taulia Tagovailoa Selected in the 2024 NFL Draft?

    He applied for an extra year of eligibility with the NCAA for the 2024 season but was denied, ending his college career. He went undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft, and then attended rookie minicamps with the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals.

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