The Dolphins are fawning over Tua Tagovailoa after his second NFL start, but the rookie has made a sobering and honest revelation about his health.

Approximately one year removed from a devastating injury at Alabama that ended his 2019 season, derailed his bid for the Heisman Trophy and knocked him out of contention for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the former Crimson Tide quarterback says he may never be the same again post-injury.

“Oh, man,” Tagovailoa said on Wednesday, according to the Palm Beach Post. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be my old self. You know, because when something dramatic like that happens, it’s just a continuous process for me.”

The 22-year-old Hawaii native suffered a fractured hip on Nov. 16 against Mississippi State and underwent surgery two days later. He would miss the remainder of the season and spent months recovering ahead of the draft. He was eventually selected No. 5 overall — four spots behind LSU’s Joe Burrow, and one spot ahead of Oregon’s Justin Herbert — by the Dolphins amid multiple smokescreens from the team and doubts he could ever perform at the same level again.

“For me, it was like ‘thank you’ for taking the shot on me,” he said of head coach Brian Flores. “Because, like I said, a year ago, who would have known? I could have had a season-ending injury, but the Miami Dolphins decided to take a chance on me. So … that was awesome.”

In addition to rehabbing from major surgery, Tagovailoa was faced with the challenge of adapting to an NFL system in a COVID-19-shortened offseason without a preseason or mini-camps.

“We’re all learning on the fly,” he said. “It’s either you’re going to pick it up or you’re not.”

He was named the team’s starter after Week 6 over veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick, a somewhat controversial move after 37-year-old Fitzpatrick had been playing well.

“It’s been a journey,” Tagovailoa said. “Looking back at that whole process. Literally almost a year from now, we were making a decision to decide if I was going to be able to play again or not, so I’m just blessed to be here.”

Many were quick to write the prized Alabama rookie off after a shaky first start in which he completed 12 of 22 attempts for 93 yards and a touchdown in Week 8 versus the Rams. He bounced back in a duel in Arizona and completed 20 of 28 attempts for 248 yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions and had seven rushes for 35 yards, extending the team’s win streak to four games.

“I didn’t know he had it in him,” receiver DeVante Parker said jokingly.

The Dolphins (5-3) are currently in second place in the AFC East (behind the Bills) and will face the Chargers (2-6) in Week 10.