MIAMI GARDENS — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has heard enough about the belief that his success is attributed to the presence of star wide receiver Tyreek Hill.
It wasn’t a problem when he was without Hill for a whole game last Sunday for the first time since the two teamed up in 2022. Tagovailoa completed 21-of-24 passes for 224 yards and a long 60-yard touchdown deep to Jaylen Waddle, without a turnover in a 30-0 win over the New York Jets.
That performance came after he acknowledged that the offense was out of sorts the week prior, a devastating loss to the Tennessee Titans on “Monday Night Football” when Hill was in and out of the game with an aggravation to an ankle injury he was getting over.
The topic was broached at Tagovailoa’s Wednesday news conference, after the Dolphins’ first practice of the week in preparation for the Dallas Cowboys at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, and it elicited an impassioned response.
“Everyone wants to make it about me, about Tyreek,” Tagovailoa said. “Please, keep pushing it to Tyreek. Make it about Tyreek. I understand that my platform and who I am in this league as a quarterback makes me, if you want, polarizing. Whether I’m the best, whether I’m the worst, I could care less. I don’t listen to it.”
Tagovailoa may not listen to the outside talk on his own, but he is kept informed about what’s being said about him by the team’s communications staff before he faces the media. And when he hears what he doesn’t like, he remembers.
“I keep receipts,” Tagovailoa said.
“Yeah, sure, I am only good with Tyreek in,” he said sarcastically, now demonstratively throwing his hands in the air. “You’re right. That is the only time I am at my best. You’re right. I’m only good when Jaylen’s in.
“I could care less about it. Sure, if Jaylen and those guys are out, I’m only as good as Raheem Mostert allows me to be. Like, if that’s what the narrative needs to be and we’re able to win games and we’re able to go to where we want to go as a team, I am the worst football player, if that’s what you want. I don’t care. I really don’t.
“Whatever it is, whatever you need on your show. Take clips out of what I just said. Do what you need to do. I’m just here to do my job, and my job is to help our team win games.”
Tagovailoa is completing 71 percent of passes for 3,921 yards with 25 touchdowns to 10 interceptions in 14 games in 2023. Hill has 1,542 receiving yards in 13 games. With Hill missing his first game since joining the Dolphins in the win over New York, Waddle had season highs of eight receptions for 142 yards and the touchdown. Hill, who didn’t practice Wednesday, is working to play Sunday.
Tagovailoa didn’t have to do anything special to beat the Jets, but after throwing two interceptions last time he saw the division rival, he made it through without a turnover. It was his third consecutive game without an interception, avoiding a turnover of any kind in two of his last three outings.
“He will throw an interception at some point in his life, but what he’s doing is he’s learning from everything because he’s not pointing a finger or hiding from it,” coach Mike McDaniel said. “He’s really holding himself fairly accountable for everything, but not backing down from anything. You’re seeing a guy develop as we’ve seen him develop really since I’ve been here.”
It’s interesting McDaniel noted Tagovailoa’s accountability. It might’ve been something he picked up from his head coach. Tuesday night’s “Hard Knocks” episode involved McDaniel very much holding himself accountable for play-calls he acknowledged were bad in the loss to the Titans before the team bounced back against the Jets.
“I think that shows the leadership that he has,” Tagovailoa said of McDaniel “It’s not something that is a one-time deal. It’s something that, as a team, we’re actually sort of used to. He’s actually one of the first to admit he’s wrong when he is wrong. He’s going to be, also, the first to admit that, if it was a baller play-call, it was a baller play-call.”
This week, Tagovailoa faces the NFL team he cheered for growing up. His whole family was Cowboys fans, but they have since flipped to rooting for the Dolphins.
“It’s going to be cool for the moment, just being able to see the star,” Tagovailoa said. “Being able to see those guys in their jerseys. Some of the guys that are playing, I used to watch them while I was in high school playing high school football. And now I get to play against some of the guys on their team.”
Tagovailoa’s younger brother, Taulia, who plays college football for Maryland, is bound for the NFL draft. Tua offered a message to his brother Wednesday as he embarks on his professional journey.
“I’m always here for you,” he said, as if speaking to Taulia. “You know that. Whatever you need, I can help with. But outside of that, I just tell my brother to listen to what he thinks is best when he hires agents or when he has to go throughout that process. I’m not the one who’s going to tell you who you should go with or whatnot. That should be totally up to you. Because when it’s your decision, regardless of if it is right or wrong, in the end, you always make it right.”
Wednesday also revealed that Tagovailoa remains the leader in Pro Bowl votes as the league is in the final week of fan voting, which ends Monday.
