An ESPN analyst said Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is overweight and compared him to a stripper on Tuesday.

The former Alabama All-American responded on Wednesday by saying: “I’d appreciate it if you keep my name out of your mouth.”

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During the 2022 season, Tagovailoa missed five games because of two concussions. During the offseason, the Dolphins QB undertook a program designed to help him stay on the field in 2023 that included getting stronger and heavier and taking jiu jitsu lessons to improve his ability to fall safely.

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But during ESPN’s “NFL Live” on Tuesday, Ryan Clark didn’t sound as though he thought Tagovailoa had worked hard during the offseason.

“Let me tell you what he wasn’t doing: He wasn’t in the gym, I bet you that,” Clark said. “He might have spent a lot of time in the tattoo parlor, but he was not at the dinner table eating what the nutritionist had advised. He looks happy. He is thick. He’s built like the girls that work at Onyx in Atlanta right now on the bottom.”

During his Wednesday afternoon press conference, Tagovailoa was asked about Clark’s comments.

“He probably knows more about me than I know about myself,” Tagovailoa said. “I don’t know. Ryan’s been out of the league for some time. I don’t know. It’s a little weird when other people are talking about other people when they’re not that person. It’s just a little weird.

“My background is, like, I come from a Samoan family. Respect is everything. But it does get to a point where, ‘Hey, a little easy on that buddy,’ because I think we’re a pretty tough-minded people, and if we need to get scrappy, we can get scrappy, too. Just saying.”

Tagovailoa was asked how hard he thought he had worked in the offseason.

“I think we all worked hard throughout the offseason,” Tagovailoa said. “I’m not one to talk about myself the entire time, but it takes a lot. You think I wanted to build all this muscle? Nah. To some extent, I wanted to be a little lighter. There’s a mixture of things that people don’t understand, that people don’t know about that are talked about that go behind the scenes. I’d appreciate it if you keep my name out of your mouth, that’s what I’d say.”

Tagovailoa said he had continued weekly jiu jitsu lessons even after the Dolphins started training camp.

Tagovailoa was more concerned with what’s been happening in his home state of Hawaii, where the deadliest wildfire in U.S. history has 115 confirmed deaths and more than 1,000 people still unaccounted for.

“Prayers back home still to the people back there in Maui,” Tagovailoa said. “There’s still a lot of people missing.”

Tagovailoa’s charitable organization, the Tua Foundation, is raising funds to help in the fire’s aftermath, and the effort has surpassed its initial goal of $100,000.

The Dolphins conclude their preseason schedule at 6 p.m. Saturday, when they visit the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Tagovailoa said he didn’t know if Miami coach Mike McDaniel would let him play against the Jaguars, but he was “preparing as if I’m going to play.”

The Dolphins kick off their 2023 regular season with a road game against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sept. 10.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.