The Miami Dolphins committed to Tua Tagovailoa as a full-back in 2021, but not everyone on the team is happy about that.
Miami Herald columnist Armando Salguero spoke to three anonymous Dolphins players about Tagovailoa and the organization’s decision to nominate him as a 2021 starter, and they expressed doubts about Tagovailoa’s overall talent and his ability to develop what team needs him to be: a top level quarterback.
The worries started during the training camp
According to Salguero, the three players he spoke to – who remained anonymous because they said Dolphins coaches “demand” that they never reveal any concerns to the media – agree that Tagovailoa is a great teammate. But that doesn’t automatically translate into talent on the pitch, and what they’ve seen this season worries them, as he doesn’t have what it takes to improve his game.
It all started during the training camp, when the three players were so “impressed” by Tagovailoa that “they thought he wouldn’t be ready to play in 2020”. To be fair to Tagovailoa, he entered the training ground eight months after hip surgery. He was released for full and unrestricted practice in late July, five to six weeks before the start of the season, and was not named in week 1. It is not known whether their opinion of Tagovailoa improved during the first half of the season.
The three players were caught “totally off guard” when quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was sent off before week 8 and Tagovailoa was elected starter. Several told Salguero that they were frustrated to learn that Fitzpatrick was not available for the vital game of the week against Buffalo Bills. The Dolphins needed to win that game to reach the playoffs, and at least one player thought that Fitzpatrick should have started that game (which he ended up losing by 56-26) instead of Tagovailoa.
“We always think about the next man, no matter what,” said the player. “But I saw Yours as the next man because Fitz was better.”
Doubts about the future of Tua
The 2020 season was only Tagovailoa’s first as a professional, and he has a total of nine games on his resume. Your future is completely unwritten. But one player told Salguero that he is not sure whether Tagovailoa has the ability to improve to the level he needs to make the Dolphins truly competitive.
… players also say that they don’t see a special feature in Tagovailoa’s skill beyond its accuracy.
A defensive player said he was not impressed by the speed of the ball or the strength of Tagovailoa’s arm or the ability to make out-of-schedule moves with his legs. Then he wonders if Tagovailoa will ever be able to match the achievements of other AFC quarterbacks, like Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes or Deshaun Watson.
“These are the boys we have to beat, right?” this player said. “It looks like it will be a big challenge now.”
Salguero spoke to only three players, and said that it is not known whether other players think the same way. And it is entirely possible that Tagovailoa could take big steps in 2021 and prove that these players are wrong. But until he does, the questions about his future and general ability will not go away.
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