To say that Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and former head coach Brian Flores didn’t have the best relationship isn’t breaking news.
Part of the reason that Flores was fired, according to the team, was because of his inability to collaborate. Few people had a closer look at the dynamics between the head coach and quarterback than former Dolphins quarterback-turned-analyst Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick was in those meeting rooms and on the field with Tagovailoa during the former first-round selection’s rookie season, and it wasn’t exactly the smoothest transition from one signal-caller to the other. The veteran came in to relieve Tagovailoa at points in the season, as Flores was trying to win games even if meant stunting the growth of the rookie.
In Fitzpatrick’s mind, Tagovailoa is taking a jump this year due to the presence of Mike McDaniel and the absence of Flores.
“I really do think a lot of this early success, is the way he’s being coached and the relationship that he has with the head coach,” Fitzpatrick said on a Zoom call this week (transcribed by the Palm Beach Post). “Because I think that was a huge sticking point and something that just was difficult for him in the first few years.
“And I don’t want to speak for him. But I’m sure it’s evident to everybody the way that Mike McDaniel has come in and embraced Tua and made sure that he knows that he’s the guy and that he’s loved and that they’re on the same team, and trying to have success together. I think that’s been really helpful for his mentality.”
Fitzpatrick’s not wrong about the amount of love that McDaniel had shown Tagovailoa. From their very first phone conversation on the plane ride to South Florida, the head coach has been praising his quarterback and saying how they can achieve great things together.
Tagovailoa has rewarded that belief with a strong start to his third season – 925 yards, eight touchdowns, two interceptions, 71.3% completion percentage and a 117.8 passer rating. Not to mention three wins.
Fitzpatrick looked back at Tagovailoa’s first year and is impressed by the way he was able to handle himself with such professionalism.
“There was the Denver game that I came in in the fourth quarter, and there was the Las Vegas game and I came in the fourth quarter,” Fitzpatrick said. “I think that was kind of an admission by coach for us that there were certain aspects of (Tua’s) game that weren’t ready yet because he was young in terms of the two-minute drill and being able to do some of that stuff efficiently.
“But he’s so talented, that it was time to get him on the field and get them to learn. And so I thought (Tua) did a great job with that, that year, because that wasn’t easy. Showing up to work every day having a smile on his face. And so, after I left, there was some things that got even rockier with that relationship. I just think it was so refreshing when Mike came in. To have a coach in Mike that, you know, felt like you guys were on the same page on the same team trying to pull in the same direction”
McDaniel and Tagovailoa seem to be not only on the same page but on the same line as well. With this system, these weapons and a coach that believes in him, Tagovailoa just may be able to get the team over the hump, into the playoffs and win a game.
