Tua Tagovailoa shared the stage with Darius Rucker for a performance of “Wagon Wheel” at the Madden Bowl after-party in Las Vegas, and Giants quarterback Daniel Jones was singing along from the audience.
A video from the event in the early hours of Saturday morning shared on X showed Tagovailoa, the Dolphins quarterback, wearing sunglasses and strumming a guitar alongside Rucker — the country singer and famed Hootie & the Blowfish lead — on the stage.
Then, the video panned to show the Giants quarterback smiling and shouting the words.
Tagovailoa hosted the after-party that also featured a performance from Hit-Boy, and the event continued an evening that started with the Ultimate Madden Bowl title game, where Henry Leverette defeated Wesley Gittens, 35-24, and became the first Madden Championship Series member to top $1 million in career earnings, according to Reuters.
And the overlap between Tagovailoa and Jones — two quarterbacks approaching uncertain futures with the teams they’ve played for since getting drafted — added a twist to the evening.
in Las Vegas ahead of Super Bowl 2024. Screengrab via X/@kasideekarsten
and Tua Tagovailoa performed “Wagon Wheel” together. Screengrab via X/@kasideekarsten
Tagovailoa flashed his guitar abilities during an appearance on ESPN’s “ManningCast” in December by playing the opening notes to “Sweet Home Alabama” and then serving as the backdrop for Peyton Manning swapping the words to “Tears In Heaven” with the events that unfolded in the Bengals-Jaguars game.
After the game, Rucker responded to a post on X suggesting that he and Tagovailoa should collaborate for a “jam session after the season” with, “I’m in.”
Then, two months later, that situation materialized ahead of Super Bowl 2024, when the Chiefs and the 49ers will meet at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday.
Rucker’s performance in Vegas came nine days after he was arrested in Tennessee on misdemeanor charges for one count for violating vehicle registration law as well as two counts of simple possession and casual exchange of a controlled substance.
The incident reportedly occurred in February 2023 following a traffic stop.
Rucker turned himself in 12 months later and released on a $10,500 bond.
Tagovailoa’s appearance occurred as he enters the final year of his rookie deal, though he told reporters at the Pro Bowl that he anticipates signing an extension with the Dolphins.
Jones has been recovering from a torn ACL that he sustained during the Giants’ Week 9 loss to the Raiders, and while Joe Schoen told reporters in Mobile, Ala., that they anticipate Jones being healthy for training camp, he’s still open to drafting a quarterback with the No. 6 overall pick in the upcoming draft.
