Tua Tagovailoa will be working with the second offensive coordinator of his professional career even before being the starting quarterback for the Miami Dolphins for a full season.
The Dolphins announced on Wednesday that offensive coordinator Chan Gailey resigned after just one season in office.
“I want to thank Chan for all of his hard work and dedication in what was a unique year,” said coach Brian Flores in a statement on the Dolphins website. “He played an important role in the team and in the development of our young team. I wish him well.”
Gailey’s departure is a surprise. During his end-of-season press conference on Tuesday, Flores said he hoped his entire team would return. Gailey did not issue a statement about his decision, so it is not known whether the 69-year-old decided to retire – which he did three years ago – or if he plans to pursue another opportunity.
How will this affect Tua?
Gailey moving on looks like it could be a good development for Tagovailoa. While Ryan Fitzpatrick, the other quarterback of the Dolphins, was thrilled with Gailey’s attack, Tagovailoa never found a rhythm. Gailey was hired in January 2020, after the Dolphins knew they would choose fifth overall in the draft, but before the team could make any specific plans about a player, they didn’t even know if they would be able to draft.
Gailey’s resignation gives the Dolphins a chance to hire someone with Tagovailoa in mind. He was the 2018 Offensive Player of the Year at the SEC, and now Dolphins can find someone who can complement him.
The hiring of an offensive coordinator who can bring Tagovailoa’s strengths to the fore should cancel out all the negative points associated with changing the coach of a developing quarterback. Tagovailoa will need to get used to a brand new player (Flores’ third in other seasons), but if he can find the key to Tagovailoa’s consistency, any pain in growth will be worth it.
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