Joe Schad and the Palm Beach Post have an article talking about comments Tua made on two sports radio shows recently. The PBP article is here: PBP LINK The sports radio shows were apparently Schein on Sports on Mad Dog Sports Radio (but I haven't been able to find any audio or video yet - if they exist), and Dan Patricks show on Fox Sports Radio (Monday). Here are some excerpts from the PBP article - full article above via the link. ""I would describe my rookie season as below average," Tagovailoa said Monday morning on Schein on Sports on Mad Dog Sports Radio. "This past season wasn't up to my expectation that I have for myself. But there were a lot of things that I was able to learn from. Being able to look at the defenses and how different all of the schemes are with defensive coordinators. Everyone runs different things. Hopefully I can compartmentalize everything and have a much better season next year."" On Deshaun Watson trade rumours: ""I never heard about the rumor until my agent reached out to me," Tagovailoa said. "I'm not one to really listen to the radio or watch ESPN. Really the only time I would watch TV would be to watch a football game on Sunday. I don't hear too much of that. The only time I heard about it was from my agent. That's something that would be out of my control, regardless. That would be on the decision of the Miami Dolphins organization. I have to control what I can control. Work hard. And do well next season."" Does he think Flores and co. see him as their franchise QB? ""In my mind and in my heart I would like to hope so," Tagovailoa said. "But for me with the way things went last year, you always have to prove yourself to do better and I want to do better. My job is to help our team win games. For me that's what I have to do a better job with. For me, when I was in, we lost a couple."" Challenges playing in the NFL? ""I think the biggest challenge for me this past season was more so the mental part with defenses and also with the offense," he said. "This is a new thing where I get in the huddle and tell everyone where everyone goes and where the formation is. In college I'd just get the signal and don't need to tell the receivers where to go. Check the protections. So just being able to process things quickly pre-snap and post-snap."" On getting benched: ""I definitely think as a competitor, things like that aren't as easy to kind of go through," he said. "But you know in the heat of the moment, it just wasn't working for me. Coach did what he thought was best for the team and it was what was best for the team. If I didn't have the relationship I have with my coaches and Fitz it would have been a little bit different. But Fitz was a great help. Fitz would tell me what to do but I would go out there and do something different. And so I got to see what he was talking about."" From the Dan P. Show: How is his health last year to this? ""I would say there is a big difference," Tagovailoa said. "In the past offseason it was really a rehab year. This year I would say my health has gotten a little better. It's not that you feel good and stop working. It's a continuing process for me."" On the media and comparisons with Justin Herbert: ""The only time I would ever understand about the hype was when I got interviewed by the media," Tagovailoa said. "I have really high expectations for myself and I didn't meet those expectations this year."" On Watson trade again: ""Patrick cleverly half-joked with Tua that he was considering purchasing a #1 Dolphins jersey, but wanted to know if he should wait until August. "Honestly I'm not too sure," Tua said. "I can't control things I can't control. I can control working hard.""
It’s hard not like the kid. He’s a great leader. No matter my opinion on how good he is as a football player, I definitely respect him and see why they wanted him in their locker room.
For me one of the things I liked the most about Tua is how excited the team was to have him start. The work he puts in through the week and at practice... What the coaches and players saw in him... They could not wait to have him take the field and lead the team. That says a lot.
Even though the offensive unit had a number of difficulties this season, it does indeed seem they rallied amongst one another, regardless of the games’ outcomes. It does say a lot when you have a team with that kind of supportive cohesion.
A nice big helping of Humble Pie served up by our friends in Buffalo might be just what the boy needed. The training wheels come off next season, especially if Fitzpatrick retires or moves on. Time to step up. It'll be interesting to see what the team does for a back-up.
Good players learn from mistakes... If Tua uses the Buffalo game as a lesson and it motivates him to work harder... I do not see a limit to what he can do on the field...
One thing about Tua from his younger days was his resilience and ability to learn. He didn't always show up as the finished product but given examples of what he needs to improve he would go away and come back a lot better having learned those lessons. If that proves true at this next level then we should expect great things from Tua, even next year. There is no doubt he is going spend this offseason working with serious passion and discipline to get better. If Watson isn't the guy then there is genuine reason for hope in the second year.
I want Tua back next season. Also want to trade out of number 3 and not to eat either of those words anytime soon.
The rookie season of Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa included Tua being yanked on multiple occasions for veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick. With Fitzpatrick becoming a free agent and with the Dolphins potentially interested in keeping him around, we asked Tua the following question during a recent visit to PFT Live. Here’s the question: “I saw Ryan Fitzpatrick talking this week about wanting to play next year. Do you want him to come back or are you kind of ready to say, ‘I’ve got this. I don’t need to have a relief pitcher?” Here’s the answer: “I’ve learned a tremendous amount from Ryan. He’s a great person. I think we’ll continue to have this strong relationship whether he comes back to Miami or whether he doesn’t. But I’ve learned a tremendous amount and I know that he’s always someone that I can always call throughout the season or throughout the year.” There’s no yes or no in that answer. Presumably, Tagovailoa (like any starting quarterback) surely would prefer not to be removed during a game for his backup. He nevertheless handled it well when it happened in 2020.
Easiest way not to get pulled from the game is to not play sh**y. It’s a nice insurance policy knowing you’ve got an experienced QB that can come in and win the game for you.