In many ways, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is a dream player.
He’s talented and tough. He’s a strong leader. He’s a good person. There are no issues off the field. He’s thrown 73 touchdowns total over the last three seasons. Tagovailoa has done a solid job of being the face of a proud franchise trying to regain greatness it hasn’t seen in decades.
‘I see similarities. I’m not saying they’re the same player or same person, no two people are,” Armstead said. “The anticipation, the accuracy, timing of throws, the ability to knock a wing off a fly repeatedly. Those guys throw darts. They don’t throw to areas, they are very precise. And that’s an elite talent, it’s an elite trait. Very few people possess (it). He’s one of them and Drew Brees is another.’
That’s all the good part. And it’s all quite good.
The problem is that Tagovailoa hasn’t broken through as an elite player. Lots of players aren’t elite but Tagovailoa was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2020 draft. He’s been injury prone, missing key games with a variety of ailments, most notably some frightening head injuries. Tagovailoa just hasn’t broken through as a great player. A solid one. At times a really good one. But not a consistently great one.
He’s not alone. Look at some other quarterbacks in the league like Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence and the Chargers’ Justin Herbert. But I have an obsession with Tagovailoa (a healthy one, promise) because he perfectly embodies all of the complexities of both the NFL overall and the quarterback position.
He’s been good, but not outstanding. He’s had, at best, OK head coaches. Good receivers but one of them, Tyreek Hill, is a massive problem away from the field. Running game has had its moments. Same for the defense. But there’s little that would cause you to look at the Dolphins and say: that team is on its way. They are extremely average and Tagovailoa hasn’t been able to lift them above that mediocrity.
All of this leads to a crucial juncture for him and the Dolphins. What will Miami do if Tagovailoa struggles in 2025?
“Yeah, he has narratives in front of him that have to be answered,” Armstead said. “Not necessarily by me or in an interview form, it’s from him, and his play, and getting the job done. Any quarterback or any team that (doesn’t) hoist that trophy at the end of the year, you have questions, you have narratives, you have challenges, you have adversity, you have things to answer. Only team that don’t really have that is Philly. Everybody else, they have their questions going into the season. Tua has his questions, and it’s up to him to answer these questions — not me.
“Do I believe he can? I do. Do I believe he will? I do.”
Coach Mike McDaniel spoke about the larger goals for Tagovailoa this coming season at one of the Dolphins’ recent OTAs.
“He’s the franchise quarterback of a team,’ said McDaniel. ‘His job is to lead men on each and every play, and find different ways to continue the process of evolution for him. That’s always been the name of the game for him, whether that’s getting the offense to the line of scrimmage faster out of the huddle or whether that’s adjusting protections, doing sight adjustments, growing his game, working on progressions, escaping the pocket and getting rid of (the ball).”
He added: “All of the things a quarterback is asked to do, I think that’s where he’s at. He’s dipped his toe in the water with everything, and now it’s consistency and mastery. That’s why it’s a never-ending exercise.”
McDaniel is saying exactly what I am except in a fancier, more coach-speak way. It’s time for Tagovailoa to show true captaincy of the position.
Miami has paid Tagovailoa well (and he’s earned it). He’ll make almost $150 million through 2026. The contract is costly but far from impossible to walk away from. Which makes this coming season for Tagovailoa and the Dolphins an interesting one to watch.
All the NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY’s 4th and Monday newsletter.
