Taulia Tagovailoa, a former quarterback at Thompson High School, has joined the Hamilton Tiger-Cats practice squad, the Canadian Football League team announced on Monday.
Prior to moving to Maryland in 2019, Tagovailoa was a student at Alabama.
Tagovailoa became the career passing yard leader in the Big Ten during his four seasons with the Terrapins. Tagovailoa completed 955 out of 1,424 passes for 11,256 yards and 37 interceptions while playing at Maryland. Scott Milanovich, Hamilton’s coach, set a school record of 26 touchdown passes in a single season when Tagovailoa was at Maryland.
Tagovailoa was named the 2017 and 2018 Alabama Sports Writers Association Class 7A Back of the Year at Thompson High School in Alabaster. With a high of 507 yards in a 35-21 victory over Oak Mountain in a 7A Region 3 game on September 14, 2018, Tagovailoa became the first athlete in Alabama high school history to record at least four 400-yard passing games.
As a senior, Tagovailoa led the Warriors to the AHSAA Class 7A Championship Game by passing for 3,728 yards and 35 touchdowns. In the state final, Central-Phenix City defeated Thompson 52–7. Following a 31-28 triumph against Hoover in the semifinals, Tagovailoa had a shoulder injury that prevented him from playing in the championship.
In Alabama’s 2019 Crimson Tide depth chart, Tagovailoa was ranked behind his siblings Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones. At Alabama, he completed 9 out of 12 throws for 100 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions.
In 2024, Taulia Tagovailoa intended to participate in one more collegiate season. He completed the NCAA transfer portal and submitted a waiver to continue his eligibility for a sixth season.
Tagovailoa played in five games during his one season at Alabama, which was one more than what was required for a redshirt season. Tagovailoa was listed as having only four snaps in two of the games in the waiver request. If 2019 had been deemed a qualifying season in accordance with the coronavirus pandemic regulations, Tagovailoa would have been eligible to participate again in 2024.
The quarterback from Maryland entered the draft after the NCAA denied his request. Despite not being selected in the April draft, he participated in the rookie minicamps of the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks.
Hamilton’s season began on Friday with a 32–24 loss against the Calgary Stampeders. Bo Levi Mitchell of the Tiger-Cats completed 27 out of 38 throws for 300 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Hamilton Frost and Taylor Powell are the other two quarterbacks on the team.
The Tiger-Cats welcome the Saskatchewan Roughriders to Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, Ontario, on Sunday at 6 p.m. CDT to begin their home schedule.
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