1 of 5 | Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa reacts after throwing an incomplete pass against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland. Photo by Aaron Josefczyk/UPI | License Photo
Mike McDaniel might have quipped about Tua Tagovailoa’s recent struggles earlier this week, saying he hopes he doesn’t “throw 10 picks,” but he said Wednesday he hasn’t lost faith in the Miami Dolphins quarterback.
“I think there is zero uncertainty on my conviction of him and my belief in him,” McDaniel said at the Baptist Health Training Complex in Miami Gardens, Fla.
“I think we are both very, very eager to do better at our jobs. We are both very committed and trusting of each other to respond to what is necessary for the team to do better.”
Tagovailoa is tied for the dubious NFL lead with 10 interceptions, including six over his last two starts, for the 1-6 Dolphins.
“I’m frustrated about those and I’ve gotta do something about that,” said Tagovailoa, who has completed 67.8% of his throws, tied for the second-worst clip of his career since he became a full-time starter.
“I can’t turn the ball over. I’ve been saying this for weeks — can’t turn the ball over and expect to win the game.”
The 2023 Pro Bowl selection, who led the NFL with 4,624 passing yards while piloting the best offense in the league that year — and completing a league-best 72.9% of his throws in 2024 — has a career-worst quarterback rating of 82.8, 22.7 points below the league-best 105.5 rating he logged in 2022, McDaniel’s first season as his coach.
Questions about a potential benching, which McDaniel declined to do — at least this week — are swirling in press conferences and from fans on social media.
“He’s going to take the snaps this week and he’s going to be our starter this week, and my expectation is that we don’t throw 10 picks,” McDaniel said Monday.
Tagovailoa, when asked Wednesday for his response to the slight, was in agreement with the blunt assessment.
“That’s true, no? You don’t want anyone going in there to hinder the team from being able to win a game,” he said.
McDaniel and Tagovailoa held 2 1/2 hours of meetings between Monday and Wednesday to analyze recent performances and craft a more proficient path forward.
The fourth-year head coach, who was credited with helping Tagovailoa build confidence earlier in his career before he “went to bat” for the quarterback to aid in his getting a $212.4 million contract, said he is working to remind him of his ability to overcome adversity.
“It’s important I remind him of how he has responded in the past to give him conviction in the future,” McDaniel said. “He has been one that has never strayed 100% from being questioned as a player.
“He’s at a high-profile position. That’s the expectation to have standards he has for himself. He knows, as the franchise quarterback, when you don’t live up to your own standard, you are probably going to get a lot of unintended consequences by sheer result — and you are going to hear about it.
“I have confidence, based on my history with him, that he’ll respond in the appropriate manner, which I made sure to communicate with him and he has received it and pressed forward to the Atlanta Falcons.”
Pro Football Focus gave Tagovailoa the No. 28 rating among quarterbacks who were in for at least 50% of the maximum snaps played at the position so far this season.
Tagovailoa was Pro Football Focus’ No. 4 quarterback, with the top passer rating, in 2023. He was PFF’s No. 7 quarterback and earned the No. 4 passer rating in 2022.
Despite starting his career on shaky ground, Tagovailoa says he hasn’t lost all he has built up in confidence in his time with McDaniel. He also thinks the Dolphins are “close” to a turnaround.
“I wouldn’t say there is any losing of the confidence,” Tagovailoa said. “I think the confidence comes from within, but also comes from what you know you can do with what I’ve done in the past.
“I think we’re this close. I think we are this close to being able to go out there and show what we’ve said we’ve wanted to do. We just gotta be able to put it all together.”
While quarterbacks often shoulder large portions of blame due to their high-profile position, poor offensive line play and injuries — particularly wide receiver Tyreek Hill’s season-ending knee injury — have contributed to the Dolphins’ woeful offense.
The Dolphins averaged the eighth-fewest points per game through the first seven weeks of the season. They rank 27th in yards. But the struggles aren’t only on the offensive end, as they have the worst rush defense in the NFL.
The sour showings have not only led to questions about Tagovailoa, but also rumors about McDaniel’s job status. He said Sunday, after a 31-6 loss to the Cleveland Browns, that it would be “irresponsible” to concern himself with such speculation.
“I think my job is very much the realist when you are going through adverse situations, because that’s what the position allows you to affect each and every person,” McDaniel said. “As the leader. you are trying to show people how to operate on the heels of failure.
“I’m very motivated in times such as these because I think this is when leaders are needed the most. You are coaching to win football games, but your true test as a coach does come in adverse situations.
“In my 20-year NFL career, it’s not my first, nor will it be my last, losing streak. That’s the nature of the NFL. It’s a big-boy league. It does get tough, but I think I signed up for the tough parts, not the easy parts.”
The Dolphins will look to snap their second three-game losing streak of the season when they take on the Atlanta Falcons (3-3) at 1 p.m. EDT Sunday in Atlanta.
