All About Taulia, Taysia and Taylor

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has always had the unwavering support of his siblings: Taulia, Taysia and Taylor.

When the Hawaii native committed to the University of Alabama and began attending in late 2017, the Tagovailoa family moved into a quiet suburb in Birmingham. The decision to stick together meant Tua could go home to enjoy time with his parents and siblings.

Tua led the Crimson Tide to a come-from-behind victory against the Georgia Bulldogs in the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship. In addition to winning the Maxwell and Walter Camp awards, he finished second in the Heisman Trophy race as a sophomore. Through it all, he credited his loved ones.

“I think the motivation for me getting this far is my family. It’s not just me out there. It’s me carrying my family’s name and everyone who’s helped me be who I am today,” he said in a 2020 press conference forgoing his senior year.

When asked about his two sisters and his fellow quarterback Taulia, Tua said they were all on the same footing in the family despite his star status.

“Outside of all our sports lives, we’re just children to our parents,” he told Sports Illustrated in December 2018.

Here’s everything to know about Tua Tagovailoa’s siblings: Taulia, Taysia and Taylor.

They are from Hawaii

The Tagovailoa clan grew up in Ewa Beach, Hawaii, a small city on the island of Oahu.

Tua’s parents, Galu and Diane Tagovailoa, met in church and bonded over their faith and Samoan culture, according to Sports Illustrated. The pair came from big families and welcomed four children of their own: Tua, Taulia, Taysia and Taylor.

The love of sports ran deep in their family, and it continued to prove true in their kids’ skills: Tua was one of the nation’s best high school quarterbacks at Saint Louis High School in Honolulu, while Taulia played at Kapolei High School before transferring to the high school football program at Thompson High School in Alabama.

Taulia played football with his brother

Two years after Tua began his college football journey at Alabama, his brother Taulia joined him in fall 2019. Apart from his older brother, Taulia was surrounded by a quarterback room packed with talent, including future NFL starters Jalen Hurts and Mac Jones.

Although Taulia dealt with comparisons to his older brother, he shrugged it off and spoke in support of him. “I look up to Tua,” he told ESPN in November 2020. “That’s the person I’m trying to be. Everything he does, I want to do. Everything he does, I feel like I can do.”

Taulia continued, “Tua, he’s the best quarterback ever in my eyes. The best big brother in my eyes, everything to me. All that stuff — it doesn’t matter — the comparisons and stuff like that. I can’t get caught up in that.”

For his part, Tua gave Taulia — or Lia, as he is affectionately known — space to grow in the locker room. Speaking to ESPN College Football in September 2019, Tua shared that he didn’t watch Taulia too closely because he already had all the help he needed.

“There’s no reason as to why [the coaches] should feel, ‘I can’t coach Taulia because of his older brother,’ ” Tua explained. “That’s just the way we were brought up … and it’s respect for your elders.”

Taylor was close to their maternal grandfather

Throughout his football career, Tua has given nods to his paternal grandfather, Seu Tagovailoa, and his influence on their family before his death in July 2014. Similarly, the NFL star’s sister Taylor shared a closeness with their maternal grandfather, who died in March 2023.

Shortly after, Taylor posted a heartfelt tribute to him, reflecting on their special bond and the memories that continue to impact her daily life. She recalled how her trips between Hawaii and Alabama often involved emotional airport send-offs.

In a Facebook post, Taylor wrote, “The last time I was leaving Hawaii to come back to Alabama was this past summer, both of my grandparents sent me off because it was time for me to go back to school. This time, I got to send you off, Papa.”

Some of her most treasured memories with her grandfather include the simple joys they shared, such as riding bikes with her sister Taysia, getting shaved ice and spending time at the beach.

“I can still hear and see you laughing whenever you would tell a joke,” Taylor wrote.

She also added how her grandfather’s humor and presence brought light into their lives and how deeply she feels his absence now. “It’s the little moments in life that we cherish so deeply with you,” she added.

Taysia is a former track athlete

Tua and Taulia are not the only ones in the family with strong throwing arms.

Growing up, Taysia was a shot putter and discus thrower while attending school in Hawaii and Alabama. She was also a member of the Ewa Beach Sabers youth football program.

Tua stepped in to help Taulia with a life-changing decision

Seeking a chance to prove himself as a starter and be more than just Tua’s younger brother, Taulia decided to leave Alabama after one year and carve out his own path at the University of Maryland, joining the team in fall 2020.

During his time at Maryland, Taulia passed legends like Drew Brees to become the all-time leading passer in Big Ten history. He also guided Maryland to three consecutive bowl games. But just before his senior season, the quarterback reportedly received an offer of $1.5 million to enter the transfer portal and take his talents to an SEC school.

Tua supported his brother’s transfer decision but only had one request.

“We’re an Alabama family,” Tua told his younger brother, according to an excerpt from the book The Price: What It Takes to Win in College Football’s Era of Chaos, shared by CBS Sports. “You’re not going to Auburn.”

In the end, Taulia decided to stay at the University of Maryland after receiving a six-figure deal from the school. After he graduated in spring 2023 — following five total seasons of college football — Taulia joined the Canadian Football League’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats practice squad. By the fall, he was making touchdowns.