[brid autoplay=”true” video=”859359″ player=”23231″ title=”NFL%20starting%20QB%20candidates%20who%20may%20be%20benched%20first” duration=”248″ description=”Here are the favorites for the first NFL quarterback to be benched during the 2021 football season.” uploaddate=”2021-09-07″ thumbnailurl=”//cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/thumb/859359_t_1631087379.png” contentUrl=”//cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/sd/859359.mp4″]
As head coach Brian Flores attempts to hush rumors of discord with Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, Miami announced five captains for the 2021 season.
Tagovailoa is not one of them.
Elandon Roberts, Jesse Davis, Clayton Fejedelem, Mack Hollins and Jason McCourty were voted as 2021 captains, the Dolphins said in a social media post.
Flores told the Dolphins in a team meeting on Aug. 31 that Tagovailoa is “our quarterback” one day after a report suggested team owner Stephen Ross might prefer a proven veteran.
The coach has clearly become frustrated multiple times fielding questions about the position.
“I don’t know if I can be more clear,” Flores said last week. “I don’t know how many times I’m going to say that. I don’t know how much more clear I can be here. Tua is the starter. I mean, do I need to say it again? I will, but … “
The second-year quarterback slated to be the full-time starter has been the subject of trade rumblings, but Flores doused reports the Dolphins would continue their pursuit of an upgrade. Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson was consistently linked to the Dolphins and trade ideas throughout the preseason.
“I think it means a lot, with it coming from the head coach,” Tagovailoa said of Flores’ announcement to the team. “The support that I have from him, from the team, it means a lot.”
Tagovailoa, 23, was a first-round pick in 2020 and entered the league as the Dolphins’ backup behind Ryan Fitzpatrick.
–Field Level Media