MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Tua Tagovailoa, renowned quarterback for the Miami Dolphins, has prioritized the safety of his family, opting to hire personal security following a break-in at one of his vehicles about a year ago.
“It felt too unsettling for me, especially with my family being home,” Tagovailoa expressed during a recent interview. “As a precaution, we brought in personal security to manage these concerns. Whenever we travel, we ensure that my wife is accompanied by someone, and we also have security monitoring our home.”
The timing of Tagovailoa’s remarks comes in the wake of a break-in at the residence of Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow, which occurred while the Bengals were competing in a Monday night game against the Dallas Cowboys. Notably, Tagovailoa mentioned that his security personnel are armed, adding, “I hope that if someone is considering visiting my house, they weigh their options carefully.”
Burrow’s property is among several that have been targeted in recent high-profile burglaries involving professional athletes across the United States, including the homes of Kansas City Chiefs players Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.
In October, both Mahomes’ and Kelce’s residences were burglarized, prompting the NFL to issue alerts to teams and the players’ union. These alerts warned that numerous homes of pro athletes were increasingly vulnerable to break-ins by skilled and organized groups, according to internal communications that have surfaced.
Authorities have noted that these criminal groups typically strike on days when the athletes are away at games. Players have been advised to take additional precautions and adopt enhanced home security measures to minimize their risk of becoming targets.
Tagovailoa’s security detail has been active for quite some time, well before the recent wave of burglaries. Fortunately, no one was harmed during the incident at Burrow’s home, but it was reportedly ransacked, according to a statement from the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office.
In the NBA, similar incidents have occurred; Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis experienced a break-in on November 2, while Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley Jr.’s home was burglarized on September 15 during a Minnesota Vikings game.
To encourage information that could lead to arrests, Portis offered a reward of $40,000, and the NBA later issued a memo revealing that the FBI has linked some of these break-ins to “transnational South American Theft Groups,” which are described as highly organized, employing sophisticated methods such as pre-event surveillance, drones, and signal disruption technology.
Reports indicate that some of these criminal organizations carry out thorough surveillance on their targets, sometimes even staging home deliveries or posing as neighborhood joggers or maintenance workers.
Although Tagovailoa has recently signed a contract extension with the Dolphins, he insists that he doesn’t necessarily perceive himself as a target. Nonetheless, he maintains that he prefers not to gamble with the safety of his family while they rest at home.