Tua Tagovailoa showed a QB’s memory needs to be perfect by reciting an elaborate play

By now, you’ve undoubtedly heard the cliche: playing NFL quarterback is the most challenging position in all of professional sports. They are quite literally responsible for everything on offense and must take the heat regardless of their performance.

Well, Tua Tagovailoa just offered a perfect account of an underrated part of the job that might be the hardest — simply remembering play calls. On Wednesday, Tagovailoa challenged a group of gathered reporters to remember what is supposed to be a straightforward play call in the Miami Dolphins’ offense. It was as follows:

“Northwright Clamp South Fox H Top Pass 38 Top Gumby XP Sweat”

Unsurprisingly, everyone butchered it. Now imagine being in someone like Tagovailoa’s shoes, where you have to seamlessly remember an entire playbook’s worth of these calls without misspeaking. And that was apparently one of the “easier” ones.

Man, pro quarterbacks really are built differently:

Football is hard . Listen to Tua test the media on reciting back a simple play. ( Miami Dolphins) pic.twitter.com/Yf6YO8iK9Z

— Mike Cugno (@MikeCugnoCBS4) August 16, 2023

I don’t know about you, but I couldn’t even say that play as fast as Tagovailoa, let alone remember it. And quarterbacks like him do that every Sunday, then take a hit, make a throw, or play fake; what have you. Then they do it all again about 60-70-ish times a game.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen: Quarterback is the most challenging position in all professional sports. You have more veritable proof right here.