Tua Tagovailoa has been the face of the Miami Dolphins since the franchise drafted him in 2020, but both he and the team are navigating a difficult start to the 2025 season, sitting at 1-5. Through it all, he has unwavering support from his family, particularly his parents, Galu and Diane Tagovailoa.
A proud Samoan and Hawaiian household, the Tagovailoa family has played a significant role in shaping Tua’s journey on and off the field. Let’s take a closer look at their story, heritage, and influence on the Dolphins quarterback.
What Is Tua Tagovailoa’s Family Background and Heritage?
Tua was born in ‘Ewa Beach, Hawaii, in March 1998 to Galu and Diane Tagovailoa. Both of his parents were born in American Samoa and moved to Hawaii at a young age. He is the oldest of four siblings and showed an early talent for football, regularly outthrowing other kids by 10-20 yards in Pop Warner games at just eight years old.
Tua’s grandfather, Seu Tagovailoa, was highly respected in the local Samoan community and often addressed as Chief. Seu believed in Tua’s potential and would encourage him to report back after each game.
Following Seu’s passing in 2014, Tua briefly considered stepping away from football, but with guidance from his father, he decided continuing his career would honor his grandfather’s memory.
Even when facing major setbacks in the NFL, including four concussions in five years, Tua’s father remained a guiding voice. Speaking to ESPN Honolulu, Galu recalled discussing retirement with his son, but Tua’s love for the game was clear.
“One of the things that I talked to him when he was going through his concussion was, ‘What do you think?’ [Tua] is like, ‘Dad, I love this game, and I’ll die on the field for this game,'” said Galu.
While not much is publicly known about Tua’s mother, Diane, the quarterback often shares glimpses of his love and appreciation for her on social media. His two sisters, Taylor and Taysia, prefer to stay out of the spotlight, much like their mother. His brother, Taulia Tagovailoa, however, has followed a more public path in football.
What Does Tua’s Brother Taulia Tagovailoa Do?
Taulia began making a name for himself in college football at Alabama. As a true freshman, he served as the backup to both his brother Tua and Mac Jones, seeing limited action as the team’s third-string quarterback. After Tua declared for the 2020 NFL Draft, Taulia entered the transfer portal.
In May 2020, Taulia announced he would be joining the Maryland Terrapins. He started all four games of the abbreviated COVID season and was named an honorable mention All-Big Ten player.
Taulia became a fixture under center for the Terrapins over the next three seasons, starting in 37 games. He would surpass 3,000 yards yearly and holds the Big Ten career record for most passing yards (11,256) and highest completion percentage (67.1%).
Despite his college success, Taulia went undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft. He received an invitation to the Seattle Seahawks minicamp but did not earn a contract. He then played briefly in the Canadian Football League before moving to the European League of Football and, most recently, suited up for the Mass Pirates in the Indoor Football League.
