Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa revealed Wednesday he was unaware of his recent appointment to teh President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, echoing similar surprise expressed by New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley. The revelation came during a press conference with reporters, raising questions about the process behind appointments to the council.
when questioned about how he came to be selected for the position, Tagovailoa responded, “I should ask you that question, too, brother.How did that all develop? I’m not too sure.” Despite his lack of prior knowledge, Tagovailoa described the appointment as “pretty cool” and “an honor,” stating he didn’t know much about the role itself.
The President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956 as the President’s Council on Youth Fitness, advises the President through the Department of Health and Human Services on ways to promote health and physical activity. The council consists of athletes, coaches, physicians, and othre individuals dedicated to promoting a healthy lifestyle. Recent appointments, including Tagovailoa and Barkley, were made by former President Donald Trump in late January 2024, just days before leaving office.
Tagovailoa also addressed a video circulating online of former President Trump mispronouncing his last name during a rally on January 28th, 2024, in Florence, South Carolina. Trump playfully butchered the pronunciation, but Tagovailoa took it in stride. “I don’t think he’s had the worst,” Tagovailoa said with a laugh, recalling similar mispronunciations during his time at the University of alabama. “I’ve heard a couple worse in Alabama, but it is what it is. I don’t take that to heart. it is what it is. ‘He’s a great guy, phenomenal guy, just got to stay healthy.’ All of that. I like it, I enjoyed it.”
ESPN‘s coverage of the appointments has drawn scrutiny, with an ESPN.com article burying the detail of Tagovailoa’s lack of prior knowledge until the final line. This handling of the story is being closely watched, particularly in light of the pending federal regulatory approval needed for ESPN’s planned joint venture with the NFL to create a new streaming service.The outcome of this review, overseen by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), could impact the future of ESPN’s media rights deals. The ESPN.com headline, “Tua calls appointment to sports and fitness council ‘an honor’,” reflects a diffrent narrative than one focused on the lack of prior notification to Tagovailoa.
