Back in 2020, as the Draft approached, Dolphins fans were very excited about Tua Tagovailoa. The energy and hype were through the roof for the arrival of the Alabama quarterback, who was expected to help the team aim for big things in the NFL.
Additionally, in 2018, the Dolphins’ owner, Stephen M. Ross, promised to make the team one of the NFL’s best and, consequently, a Super Bowl contender: “I think we’re heading in the direction of building something and creating an organization that can sustain winning. Not just signing a few veteran free agents along with a few draft picks and thinking you’re going to be a contender.”
However, here we are in the 2025 season, and the start has been disappointing for the Dolphins. Tua Tagovailoa had a truly poor performance: three turnovers, and the Dolphins were crushed by Daniel Jones and the Indianapolis Colts, who played spectacularly.
Mike McDaniel is genuinely concerned
Tua Tagovailoa’s stats were alarming: he completed just 14 of 23 passes for 114 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions, and one fumble. Frustration was immediate, and Mike McDaniel, the Dolphins’ Head Coach, tried to defend him during the press conference:
“We made a lot of mistakes today, some that Tua normally doesn’t make… but the responsibility doesn’t fall solely on him. Many players on the team didn’t execute their assignments properly, which contributed to the negative outcome. Like the rest of the team, his performance wasn’t enough,” McDaniel said.
Next week, the Dolphins will play at home under intense pressure, hosting the New England Patriots in their first divisional matchup of the year. A victory is mandatory-otherwise, the franchise’s environment is going to heat up fast.
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