Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) waves at fans after the Dolphins defeated the Detroit Lions, 31-27, at Ford Field in Detroit. Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Analyst believes Tua Tagovailoa is proving he’s franchise QB material

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 10/31/22

Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has been one of the NFL’s more polarizing players since Miami drafted him fifth overall in the 2020 draft.

But following his latest 300-yard performance in the Dolphins’ 31-27 win over the Detroit Lions on Sunday, one NFL analyst believes that Tagovailoa is proving to be the franchise quarterback Miami drafted him to be, and first-year head coach Mike McDaniel is part of the reason the 24-year-old seems to be unlocking his potential.

“Tagovailoa is back, too, and not just in the he’s-adequately-managing-this kind of way, but, in a new role that we may be a little unfamiliar seeing him in: franchise quarterback,” Sports Illustrated’s Connor Orr recently wrote. “Count me among those who knew Mike McDaniel’s history as Kyle Shanahan’s secret weapon and envisioned Tagovailoa operating with suddenly heroic powers.”

Tua Tagovailoa is 11-2 in his last 13 starts as a Miami Dolphin. And in one of those losses, he left with a concussion.
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) October 30, 2022

In the win over Detroit, Tagovailoa completed 29 of 36 passes for 382 yards and three touchdowns, becoming the first QB in Dolphins history to throw for 350 or more yards with three touchdowns, zero interceptions and a completion percentage of 80 or better.

It was also his second game this year with at least 380 yards passing and three or more touchdowns.

In his first season under McDaniel’s guidance, Tagovailoa leads the NFL with 8.6 yards per completion, and he ranks fourth in passer rating (105.9), sixth in completion percentage (67.3), 10th in touchdown passes (9), and 11th in passing yards per game (259.2).

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