The Dolphins Are Rallying Behind Tua Tagovailoa
Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
As a member of the Miami Dolphins’ fanbase, I have always held the opinion that Chris Grier should consider moving on from Tua Tagovailoa if his average annual salary and contract structure prevent the team from building a contender around him. That being said, there are a surprising number of Tua-non members who will convince you that he is capable of leading this franchise to the promised land.
As it stands currently, Tagovailoa and his representatives have not been shy in their desire for a market-rate contract. For a lot of teams, paying a quarterback with no playoff success an average of $50 million dollars a year would send negotiations to a screeching halt. Despite that, Grier seems to have no reservations against getting a deal done and thinks very highly of Tagovailoa.
The same can also be said for the players in the Dolphins locker room. Over the past couple of days, a couple of key players on offense have spoken glowingly about Tua. Amidst all the uncertainty and mixed opinions around him, it appears that the Dolphins are rallying behind Tagovailoa.
First, tight end Jonnu Smith went on the record by saying that Tagovailoa “throws a receiver’s ball, as accurately as can be.” It’s worth noting that Smith recently signed with the Dolphins this offseason, and has yet to play a single game with Tua. He could’ve waited until the regular season to make any bold statements about Tagovailoa, but instead, he went out of his way to compliment him. It’s clear Tua is a natural leader that even new players gravitate towards.
The praise continued to pour in, this time from star wide receiver Tyreek Hill. Despite also looking for a contract extension, thus essentially competing for the same money, Hill hopes that Tua gets the bag. “I’m hoping [Tua] becomes the highest paid though, because he deserves it.” Hill said. “If you understand how far Tua has come from the time he was drafted to now, and everything he has had to overcome throughout all the coaching changes over the years. I feel like it’s one of those Cinderella stories and I think it’s truly amazing man, he deserves it.”
Hill also preached patience to the Dolphins fan base while expressing confidence that Tua’s contract situation will be resolved. “I would just say stay patient. Obviously both sides know that they need each other. Dolphins knowing that they need [a] QB1 and Tua knowing that he wants to stay in Miami. I feel like whenever it’s time to sign the deal it’s gonna come out and everybody’s gonna be happy. Tua’s not a very selfish guy, everybody knows that. He loves his team, he loves his teammates, and he wants to keep all of the guys together. He understands that if he signs a deal where it’s friendly, he would be able to keep a lot of people around him and be able to continue the success down the line for the organization.”
What’s weird about these two quotes is that the messaging is completely different, despite being from the same NFL Live interview. Hill wants Tagovailoa to become the highest-paid quarterback, but he also adds that Tua is not a selfish guy and that he wants to keep the team together. Becoming the highest-paid quarterback and unselfishly keeping the team together don’t exactly go hand-in-hand. Unless the front office pulls some cap wizardry, something’s gotta give here.
Oftentimes when guys enjoy playing for a team, they are more willing to make certain sacrifices to ensure that the core stays together long-term. It doesn’t matter if Tua or Tyreek takes less money to ensure the other gets paid, what matters is that someone is willing to make that sacrifice, and that appears to be the case. Regardless, the fact that everyone from the front office down to the players seems prepared to do everything they can to compliment Tagovailoa is a sign that everyone seems to have a unified vision of who they want leading this team for the foreseeable future.
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