Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is set to enter his fifth NFL season, where expectations remain high for him and his offense to perform under head coach Mike McDaniel’s scheme.
When McDaniel took over two seasons ago, all he had were positive words for Tagovailoa, the Dolphins’ fifth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, despite a modest 13-8 starting record over his first two seasons.
But McDaniel believed in the lefty signal caller, and after going 8-5 in his first season over 13 games as a starter, Tagovailoa had his best year — a full 17-game season — with an 11-6 record to reach the playoffs.
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Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa re-drew the offense this offseason. (Susan Stocker/South Florida/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Tagovailoa, making an appearance on the “Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz,” explained the confidence that he has under McDaniel, and he threw some shade at his former head coach Brian Flores in the process.
“To put it in simplest terms, if you woke up every morning, and I told you that you suck at what you did, that you don’t belong doing what you do, that you shouldn’t be here, that this guy should be here, that you haven’t earned this right, and then you have somebody else come in and tell you, ‘Dude, you are the best fit for this. You are accurate. You are the best whatever. You are this. You are that.’ How would that make you feel, listening to one or the other? You see what I’m saying?” Tagovailoa questioned on the show.
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“And then you hear it and hear it — regardless of what it is, the good or the bad — and you hear it more and more, you start to actually believe that. I don’t care who you are. You could be the President of the United States. (If) you have a terrible person that’s telling (you) things that you don’t want to hear or probably shouldn’t be hearing, you’re gonna start to believe that about yourself. That’s sort of what ended up happening. It’s basically been two years of training that out of, not just me, but a couple of the guys as well that have been here since my rookie year all the way until now.”
Tagovailoa’s candid comments about Flores, the current defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings, are new as he’s calling out his coaching style. However, when looking at the circumstances Tagovailoa dealt with during his first two seasons, one can perhaps understand where he’s coming from.
During those first two years, Tagvailoa had journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick in the quarterbacks room, and Flores would pull the youngster for the veteran during his rookie campaign.
Head coach Brian Flores watches as Tua Tagovailoa #1 of the Miami Dolphins throws the ball during the training camp at the Baptist Health Training Complex on August 4, 2021 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)
There was also speculation that the Dolphins would be trading for then-Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, who ultimately ended up with the Cleveland Browns.
But things changed when Flores was let go after the 2021 season, making way for McDaniel to lead the way the next season. Tagovailoa’s uptick in performance happened immediately, throwing for 3,548 yards with 25 touchdowns, though he had to miss four games due to concussions.
With this newfound confidence, Tagovailoa is clearly confident to speak on his past mental battles with his old coach.
The Dolphins also believe in Tagovailoa, dishing out a four-year, $212.4 million extension to him last month to remain the signal caller in South Beach.
In that first full season last year, Tagovailoa threw for a league-leading 4,624 yards with 29 touchdowns to 14 interceptions. Armed with speedy receivers and running backs all around, McDaniel’s scheme preaches accuracy and timing, which Tagovailoa has shown he can do no matter the opponent.
Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa threw shade at his former head coach in Miami, Brian Flores (Getty Images)
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Now, it’s all about the Super Bowl run in the playoffs, which he has yet to do. But Tagovailoa is confident — as is his head coach — that he can make that happen.
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