In a parallel universe, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa would be working under retired former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton.
Dolphins owner Stephen Ross was suspended and fined while the Fins were docked draft picks for allegedly tampering with Payton when he was the Saints’ head coach.
Apparently, Tua should be happy that it’s Mike McDaniel not Sean Payton calling the shots in South Beach right now.
Fresh off a 20-7 win over the New England Patriots, things seem to be trending in the right direction for Tua and the Dolphins. Unfortunately, Payton doesn’t see it that way.
Appearing on The Herd with Colin Cowherd, Payton shockingly indicated that it’s just a matter of time before Tagovailoa is benched.
“I think at some point we’ll see another QB starting in Miami. And they played well with Tua (in Week 1), but Teddy Bridgewater, who I’ve had before, he’s an outstanding player.”
Sean Payton on Tua Tagovailoa
The timing here is weird given that Tua put up a solid performance in the season opener, completing 23-of-33 passes for 270 yards with a touchdown and zero interceptions in Miami’s season opening win over the Patriots.
Related: Tua Tagovailoa and NFL’s top QB’s heading into Week 2
No, the Miami Dolphins shouldn’t bench Tua Tagovailoa
As a first-year head coach, Mike McDaniel has built his offense around what Tua does well. He’s spoken highly of the quarterback and seems to be all in when it comes to the former first-round pick.
Though, McDaniel said after last week’s win that Tua has a lot to work on and that the quarterback is not happy about some of the things that happened on Sunday.
What we do know is that Miami invested a ton on its offense to surround Tua with the right pieces. That included trading for star wide receiver Tyreek Hill and signing Pro Bowl left tackle Terron Armstead to a massive contract.
Related: 10 burning questions for NFL Week 2
If Tagovailoa continues to prove that he’s limited from a skill-set perspective, there’s going to be some questions about his long-term future in Miami.
- Tua Tagovailoa stats (2020-22): 66.4% completion, 4,737 yards, 28 TD, 15 INT, 85.5 QB rating
Those are not great numbers right there. Objectively, they have to be seen as pedestrian.
With that said, it’s hard to believe that a journeyman in Teddy Bridgewater is an option for a Miami squad that now seems to have legitimate playoff expectations.