Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa stepped in front of the media following Wednesday’s practice knowing he had a number of challenging topics to address.
“Big questions today,” Tagovailoa said as he approached the microphones, greeting reporters setting their recorders down on the table in front of him.
He was right. He was asked about the team pursuing quarterback Tom Brady on multiple occasions, once while Tagovailoa was already quarterback of the Dolphins, as was revealed in the NFL’s investigation findings announced Tuesday.
He had to answer about his recent marriage, something he would’ve preferred to keep private, getting publicized. And what’s a Tagovailoa press conference without a word on his arm strength?
Tagovailoa heard the news about the Dolphins being stripped of two draft picks, including a 2023 first-rounder, and owner Steve Ross’ $1.5 million fine and suspension through mid-October once he got off the practice field on Tuesday.
“Everyone heard about it [Tuesday] when we went into the locker room, seen it on the TV,” he said, “but me, I have no idea about all the details other than what was shown on the TV with the $1.5 million fine and then something happening with Brady. I don’t know all the details. I don’t even know what happened.”
The investigation found tampering with Brady both in 2019, while he was still a member of the New England Patriots ahead of his free agency that offseason, and in 2021, while a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The revelations further cement the Dolphins have weighed other options since selecting Tagovailoa with the No. 5 pick in the 2020 draft. It was also widely known that Miami pursued Deshaun Watson throughout the 2021 offseason and up to that year’s trading deadline in early November. The Dolphins then took themselves out of trade conversations for the former Houston Texans quarterback in the past offseason as Watson was traded to the Cleveland Browns.
“I remember I came in 2020, so whatever happened in 2019, I can’t even speak on that,” said Tagovailoa, avoiding mention of last year’s instance. “I was here in 2020, and I’m still here and I’m blessed to be here. If it has to do with support from the team, I think the team’s all-in with me and all the guys that we have now.”
Tagovailoa didn’t appreciate his marriage getting publicized on social media on Tuesday evening but did say it was “very special” to have that moment.
“I don’t know who ended up leaking it, but you must’ve been waiting outside the courthouse for an entire week or something,” said Tagovailoa. “For me, I like to keep my life as private as possible. That’s what we try to do with me, my wife and my family. But, obviously, in this world, that’s not how it is. It’s almost kind of disrespectful by doing that, but it is what it is.”
Does marriage change his perspective on anything?
“No girls for me, I guess,” Tagovailoa quipped. “That’s the perspective. But, yeah, same focus. The season. What we got here in training camp.”
And what Tagovailoa has going in training camp has been solid, earning the orange jersey at Wednesday’s practice as the previous Tuesday session’s player of the day. His highlight-reel 65-yard touchdown pass to speedster Tyreek Hill, which traveled 60 yards in the air, was a viral moment in camp that has fans in a frenzy.
“I think ’cause people don’t think I can throw the ball far. I would say that’s the fascination,” said Tagovailoa. “Like, ‘Wow, he can throw the ball.’ Hard to be in the NFL if you can’t throw the ball, right?”
Despite instances like that perfect deep pass over the middle to Hill and numerous other examples of accurate short, intermediate and long throws, Tagovailoa still has his arm strength constantly questioned.
“It’s not frustrating,” he said. “The only thing that gets frustrating is if you hear it every day or if you see it every day. For me, I eliminate all of that. Don’t hear it. Don’t see it. Go home, go to my family, study, wake up the next day, come back, enjoy football.”