He has always been a confident individual, but Tua Tagovailoa keeps it humble because of his Samoan roots.
As a native Hawaiian, Tagovailoa was one of the nation’s top quarterback prospects in 2017 out of high school and changed the culture on offense at the University of Alabama. His fluidity as a passer gave Nick Saban the confidence to turn to him during the second half of the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship Game against Georgia. Tagovailoa, who was a freshman then, responded by delivering the Crimson Tide to a comeback victory and getting Saban his fifth national title in Tuscaloosa.
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He battled injuries in college, but Tagovailoa took his incredible skill set to the National Football League.
The Miami Dolphins selected him at No. 5 overall in the 2020 NFL Draft. He became the starting quarterback in 2021, and for the first time doubts about his talents as a signal-caller entered his mind. The shake in confidence came from constant criticism from national media, local media, and fans of the Dolphins. People started to believe that Tagovailoa was not a franchise quarterback and that the Dolphins made a mistake with its draft choice. Reports and rumors would surface about former Miami head coach Brian Flores wanting Justin Herbert over Tagovailoa in the draft process. Flores was a good coach; however, he did not connect with Tagovailoa or invest in him by surrounding him with talent as Mike McDaniel has done. According to Aditi Kinkhabwala, a reporter and storyteller for the NFL on CBS, Tagovailoa questioned himself multiple times last season. He asked himself, “Do I suck,” because of the criticism he was getting. Coach McDaniel did something special to reaffirm his quarterback’s confidence.
“Do I suck?”
It’s a question that Tua Tagovailoa consistently asked himself last season.
An incredible report from @AKinkhabwala on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/v2U1TeNpWv
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) November 28, 2022
“Mike McDaniel put together a 700-play tape to show him how good he actually is,” Kinkhabwala said in her reporting on McDaniel building Tagovailoa’s confidence.
Tagovailoa’s dominance this season is because McDaniel trusts in him.
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“I think anyone here can attest to someone believing in them, and how that changes how they see themselves but also the things around them,” Tagovailoa said. “So perspective, but it was awesome.”
Tagovailoa has the Dolphins at 8-3 and standing atop the AFC East.
People have tried to discredit his arm strength and accuracy, yet the former Alabama quarterback is third in the NFL for completion percentage (69.7), tied for fourth for passing touchdowns (19), first for quarterback rating (82.8), and first for passer rating (115.7). Tagovailoa has four games with 3+ touchdown passes, including a career-high six scoring tosses in a 42-38 victory for the Dolphins over the Baltimore Ravens in week two. He has defeated Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and Justin Fields this season.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
