Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa Receives Mixed Reviews in The Athletic's QB Tier Rankings

Naturally, the list is a big talking point across the league, and based on the outcomes, it leaves fans either very happy or incredibly disenchanted, depending on where the league values their quarterback. Based on the reviews for Dolphins’ quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in this year's rankings, the responses will likely be met with disappointment.

Per Mike Sando of The Athletic, the author of the tier rankings, Tagovailoa slots in as the 17th-best quarterback in the NFL, and a high-end Tier 3 quarterback, with a Tier 3 quarterback described as “A legitimate starter but needs a heavier running game and/or defensive component to win. A lower-volume dropback passing offense suits him best.”

"He is probably a 2 on the production, but if the game is on the line, I'd be scared to death if he were my quarterback," an executive told Sando. 

Tagovailoa’s numbers over the last few seasons have been among the league’s best, but a fair amount of skepticism remains when it comes to his ability to carry an offense on his back.

"It is the off-script plays that he doesn't have," a defensive coach said via Sando. "And if it is not paired with the run game to draw the under coverage, then you don't get full utilization of his accuracy on the second and third level."

Tagovailoa does lack the consistency to make the off-script plays, and he lacks the rushing ability to match, but some voters still raved about his accuracy and ability to deliver throws on time, but it still came with caveats.

"He does a really good job of hitting these play-action windows and putting it on guys where it's catch-and-run and has good anticipation for it and can get it out of his hands," another defensive coach said to Sando. "I have yet to see him carry his team when they are not clicking in other phases. Has Miami ever won where their run game is getting killed, they can't hit play-action stuff and it's just time for Tua to sling the ball?"

All of that could leave Dolphins’ fans feeling disheartened, and paired with Tagovailoa’s injury history, it paints the picture of a quarterback who might not be valued as high around the league as he is within the Dolphins’ building. However, if Tagovailoa can have a strong bounce-back year in 2025, he might have a few more believers this time next season.