There will likely continue to be questions asked throughout the NFL community regarding whether individuals within the Miami Dolphins organization truly view 2020 first-round pick Tua Tagovailoa as the club’s long-term quarterback.
Tagovailoa seems to have the support of those inside the locker room as of the first day of September.
Per Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN, Tagovailoa was named a Dolphins captain for the first time ahead of his third NFL season. Head coach Mike McDaniel, hired by the club this past winter, explained that Tagovailoa was the “resounding highest point winner” for the player-led voting process.
“I think it says everything. I think that’s incredibly important when it’s done with the right reasons and the right intent,” McDaniel said when offering praise for the 24-year-old signal-caller. “The only thing that I gave to the players was, ‘who do you want representing you each and every game, who do you want to wear the C and understand what that C means on your jersey?’
“I think it speaks volumes on where he’s at with the team and their belief in him.”
The Dolphins were repeatedly linked with then-Houston Texans star quarterback Deshaun Watson from last summer through this past winter, and McDaniel publicly saying in February he was “all in” on Tagovailoa didn’t silence such chatter. It was then learned early last month that the Dolphins were stripped of two draft picks for violating NFL tampering rules regarding both Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady and former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton.
“I was here in 2020 and I’m still here and I’m blessed to be here,” Tagovailoa said in August about his employer’s reported interest in Brady. “If it has to do with support from the team, I think the team’s all-in with me and all the guys that we have now.”
Miami hosts the New England Patriots in Week 1 on Sept. 11.
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