Tua Tagovailoa's weird rant missed the mark, especially given the burden Dolphins fans have borne
Tua Tagovailoa apparently reads what those who support the Miami Dolphins say about him online. That's the only reasonable conclusion to draw from his bizarre answer to a simple question asked on Wednesday during his press conference. Tua was asked about the mishandled snaps in the wake of the Dolphins' 28-27 loss to the Arizona […]
Tua Tagovailoa apparently reads what those who support the Miami Dolphins say about him online. That's the only reasonable conclusion to draw from his bizarre answer to a simple question asked on Wednesday during his press conference.
Tua was asked about the mishandled snaps in the wake of the Dolphins' 28-27 loss to the Arizona Cardinals last Sunday, where a fumbled snap by the Dolphins in the third quarter resulted in a safety that turned the game around for Arizona.
“It’s as simple as catching the ball in the gun," Tua responded. "I would say I’m a pretty good shortstop guy; I have pretty good vision; I have pretty good hands. I’d like to see a lot of other people go in the back there and try to catch that ball, too. You’ve seen it – it wasn’t ‘Brew’s’ (Aaron Brewer) best and ‘Brew’ knows he can get it better, but it wasn’t my best as well. But I’m just saying to give perspective, it’s not as easy as what it looked like sitting down on your couch eating chips.”
That's a strangely defensive an angry response to a question that was very simple:
"The missed handled snaps, what can be done there? Is it as simple as catching the ball, which you mentioned about the one from shotgun, but we also didn’t get to ask you about the one under center that occurred, too."
Why Tua felt the need to go after the fans in that spot was simply not a good look. For one, the question said nothing about the fans. That was something that Tua obviously wanted to get off his chest after apparently taking in some fan criticism after the game. A significant number of fans sitting on their couches "eating chips" are living paycheck to paycheck, not earning tens of millions of dollars a season to make that play.
That's of course to also say nothing about the pure hell this fanbase has endured in the 21st century. No NFL fandom has gone longer without watching their team win a playoff game than the Miami Dolphins, who last enjoyed that simple pleasure back on December 30, 2000, when Miami topped Indianapolis 23-17 in overtime. That was Peyton Manning's third season, to put it into a very well-aged perspective.
And putting aside that ugly fact and fast forwarding to this coaching staff's tenure and the recent rosters, it's still hard to blame the fans for being disgusted. The meltdown to lose the division to a team they simply can't beat last season was an all timer. And then to flame out in the playoffs (or freeze out, to be more appropriate) was the cherry on top of a very nasty sundae they served their fans in 2023.
So yes, after a 2-5 start, and against a Charmin soft schedule at that, for a team that's simply underachieved – among the players, coaches and front office (looking at you, Chris Grier, for your backup QB choices) – how can you even think about taking a shot at the fans? At the ones who are absolutely blameless for what appears to be yet another lost season in South Florida?
Instead, how about directing that passion at helping your team figure out how to play up to the same level of energy and physicality that Buffalo always has when you play, and Miami always lacks in droves?
That would be a better use of your time.
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