FOR TWO QUARTERS, the Miami Dolphins’ offense seemed nothing like itself on Sunday.
Trailing the Jacksonville Jaguars 17-7 heading into the break, the unit — which completed No. 1 in whole offense and No. 2 in scoring final season — had managed seven factors and 160 yards in a sluggish efficiency marred by empty drives and boos from the Exhausting Rock Stadium crowd.
One thing wanted to vary at halftime; quarterback Tua Tagovailoa made certain of it.
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Addressing his teammates within the residence locker room, the once-quiet, fifth-year quarterback tore into the offense — calling out veterans Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and Terron Armstead amongst others — and demanded that they play to the excessive requirements the unit had set the earlier season.
“For my quarterback to name me out in entrance of the entire offense like that, I needed to step up,” stated Hill, who caught an 80-yard landing within the second half, after the sport. “I needed to do my factor. I like that in a pacesetter.”
Tagovailoa’s fiery speech labored. The Dolphins completed with 400 yards and beat Jacksonville 20-17 on a walk-off area objective. It was additionally the newest instance of Tagovailoa’s improved management. His teammates say he has been extra vocal on and off the sphere. Whereas he has all the time possessed a pure charisma, his confidence has been restored for the reason that arrival of coach Mike McDaniel in 2022. Tagovailoa’s elevated mastery of McDaniel’s offense offers him the company to talk up and direct a Dolphins crew wanting to win its first playoff recreation since 2000.
Miami has been to the postseason 5 occasions with no win in 24 years and hasn’t received its division in 16 years. After racing to a 9-3 begin in 2023, the Dolphins misplaced 4 of their last six video games, together with a lackluster 26-7 wild-card defeat on the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs to finish the season.
In July, Miami confirmed religion in Tagovailoa to get the Dolphins over the hump, signing him to a four-year, $212.1 million extension that made him the highest-paid participant in franchise historical past. Together with the outlay got here elevated expectations to steer the crew on a deep playoff run, starting with this season, which can proceed Thursday in opposition to the Buffalo Payments (8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video).
It is a accountability Tagovailoa has embraced.
“Heavy is the crown, whoever’s carrying that,” Tagovailoa stated. “I am the highest-paid worker on this workplace. I’ve bought to get my no matter collectively, I’ve bought to get that proper and get our guys shifting within the course that we have to go, to have the ability to do these issues.”
HILL JOKED PRIOR to the beginning of the season that Tagovailoa may need change into too vocal this yr.
“He is extra vocal within the huddle, he is extra vocal within the locker room, he is vocal in every single place,” Hill stated. “Like in every single place I stroll within this constructing you are going to hear Tua’s mouth wish to the purpose the place I am like, ‘I want you’d shut up now.'”
It hasn’t all the time been like that.
Tagovailoa stated he did not really feel empowered throughout his first two years within the NFL, which coincided with former coach Brian Flores’ tenure with the Dolphins. His two seasons with McDaniel have been the other.
Throughout an interview with “The Dan Le Batard Present” in August, Tagovailoa described the variations between Flores’ and McDaniel’s teaching types.
“To place it in easiest phrases, for those who awoke each morning and I instructed you [that] you suck at what you probably did, that you do not belong doing what you do, that you simply should not be right here, that this man needs to be right here, that you have not earned this proper, after which you might have any person else are available and inform you, ‘Dude, you’re the finest match for this,'” he stated within the interview, “how would it not make you are feeling listening to 1 or the opposite?
“You begin to consider that. And in order that’s what kind of ended up occurring. It is principally been two years of coaching that out.”
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McDaniel was employed one month after Flores was fired. Considered one of his first priorities was to construct Tagovailoa’s confidence, which included displaying his QB a 700-play spotlight tape showcasing the qualities that made him match for McDaniel’s offense. As Tagovailoa’s confidence grew, so did his manufacturing. Since 2022, he ranks fourth within the NFL in passing yards, fifth in passing touchdowns and third in anticipated factors added.
Tagovailoa additionally started to talk up, regularly bettering every year earlier than blossoming this offseason.
“When he was younger, [he was] extra of a lead-by-example man, however I believe he is simply gotten so comfy within the final couple years, and there is plenty of elements that go into that,” Dolphins tight finish Durham Smythe stated. “On this recreation, for those who’re enjoying rather well when it comes to your requirements, it is simple to be assured and comfy. And clearly these final two seasons, he is performed very properly. … Whenever you’re doing that … you may say what you wish to say, you could be your self across the guys.”
Dolphins offensive gamers say Tagovailoa additionally grew to become extra assertive this offseason, spearheading off-field hangouts to construct chemistry.
In response to Hill, who joined the Dolphins in 2022, there was a transparent distinction between Tua then and now. Tagovailoa has taken higher command of and accountability for the offense, ensuring to assemble his teammates after every play to debate what he noticed.
“After I first got here in right here, we would run a play after which it would be like, ‘The place’s Tua at? I want to speak to him about this play.’ Versus now, he is coming to seek out you. It is a wonderful factor to see.
“The identical factor that [Patrick Mahomes] used to do again in KC ensuring that guys see it the identical as him. It is nice.”
TAGOVAILOA ADMITS HE has proven a special aspect of himself on the sphere this yr, however says the management qualities have all the time been inside him.
“Loads of the blokes know who I’m off the sphere. Simply on the sphere, it is simply, I assume, popping out now,” he stated. “That is simply what it’s. I assume feeling extra comfy bringing my very own character onto the enjoying area … bringing my very own character into enjoying the sport of soccer.”
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McDaniel thinks Tagovailoa’s management qualities go even deeper. He says his quarterback possesses an innate charisma that causes folks to gravitate towards him, which is buoyed by his authenticity and manufacturing on the sphere.
“There are specific guys which have an it issue with giant teams, particularly groups,” McDaniel stated. “There’s methods to measure power waves, and the strongest power wave you may give off is authenticity. So I believe that is what folks really feel and that is why folks comply with, will not be solely do they like and consider in him, consider in his abilities and his potential to make them locations they have not been, however in addition they belief it.”
Tagovailoa acknowledged McDaniel’s assertion of getting an “it issue,” saying it is one thing he has felt since he was younger.
“I’ve had the it issue since I used to be in highschool, then going into school, after which coming right here,” he stated. “That is how I’ve all the time seen myself as — going out and competing. Yeah, very, very good, very cool, calm, collected, however inside simply very aggressive. So plenty of the blokes understand how I’m and whatnot, however I assume it is simply now displaying that I am changing into just a little extra vocal.”
Tagovailoa’s pure charisma mixed along with his willingness to talk up extra is why teammates say his halftime speech in opposition to the Jaguars was so properly obtained.
Armstead recommended Tagovailoa for standing up and addressing the crew. He stated his readiness to problem and name out veteran gamers — and even coaches — helped set up a way of urgency that sparked the second-half comeback.
From a coach’s perspective, McDaniel appreciated Tagovailoa primarily taking the phrases out of his mouth. He known as the deal with to the crew “real” and “constructive.”
“There have been particulars that led to execution when it comes to how we’re organized and talk.” McDaniel stated “I assume on the time, he undoubtedly felt that there have been a number of guys that have been free there. I could not deny that in any respect and was actually pumped to listen to him constructively lead. It wasn’t, ‘Let’s win,’ or ‘Let’s make performs.’ It was, ‘Let’s adhere to our customary,’ which is what a captain and a franchise quarterback need to be — that voice to echo.”
For Tagovailoa, who completed the afternoon with 338 passing yards and a landing, the motivation to talk up was easy: He needed to assist his crew win.
“It was simply a type of offers the place we simply wanted to get our head out of our ass,” he stated. “We bought punched within the mouth. That is what you get. How are you going to reply?”
If the Dolphins fail to fulfill expectations in 2024, it doubtless will not be for an absence of accountability — particularly from Tagovailoa.
“I believe you see [the change in Tagovailoa], it is simply infectious proper now. It is spreading all through the complete locker room in one of the simplest ways attainable,” fullback Alec Ingold stated. “The outcomes on the sphere have been one factor final yr, however the best way he is main this locker room on and off the sphere is one thing utterly completely different now.”
