Tua Getting to Know Former Teammate All Over Again

Miami Dolphins fans were not the only ones surprised when the team acquired Minkah Fitzpatrick from the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith trade. 

Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who was Fitzpatrick’s college teammate with Alabama during the 2017 season, didn’t know what to make of the deal at first, either. 

“When we ended up getting Minkah, I thought that was unique because Minkah started out here,” Tua told reporters following the team’s first training camp practice Wednesday. 

“I just wasn’t sure how Minkah was going to feel about that, given the prior scars that he had with what the media was portraying about what happened behind the scenes… I just didn’t know where his head space was.” 

The scars Tua is referring to is, of course, how Fitzpatrick requested a trade from the Dolphins early in the 2019 season. Most reporting seemed to indicate that Fitzpatrick had a disagreement with then-head coach Brian Flores about whether he should play more cornerback or safety. 

That was a long time ago now, and the Dolphins leadership is much different. 

Minkah did report to camp on time, and Tua seemed optimistic about where the safety is at after the two spoke for the first time in years on Sunday. 

“It’s not like catching up like it is with [Jaylen Waddle],” Tua said about his lunch with Fitzpatrick over the weekend. “I’m on the opposite side of the ball, and I only had him for one year. I’m a different person than I was at Alabama. He’s a different person than he was at Alabama, so it’s just getting to rekindle that fire of a relationship with him, but I’m excited to have him.” 

Coach Mike McDaniel mentioned that the team did its due diligence about finding out whether Fitzpatrick wanted to return to Miami and wouldn’t have traded for him otherwise. 

What Minkah Brings to Miami’s Locker Room

One of the things Tua and McDaniel harped on when discussing Fitzpatrick’s addition was the leadership he could provide on the defense and for the whole team.

“I have so many good things to say about Minkah because when I was there (Alabama) my freshman year, that was his last year,” Tua said. “I have a lot of good things to say about him. The mentor that he was for that locker room back in 17 and 18. The leadership that he gives off, sort of the standard.” 

“I was talking to Mike [McDaniel] about it too. There’s a standard, and then there’s someone you can look at and say they are the standard. I can’t put words to what that standard is, but I want to gravitate toward that person. I think that’s what Minkah gives off.” 

It’s clear that the 2017 season, in which Alabama won the national title against Georgia, left an impression on the Dolphins’ quarterback. 

Coach Mike McDaniel recalled a story Tua told him about Fitzpatrick from their time at Alabama. 

Tua was taken aback by how animated the usually quiet Fitzpatrick got trying to motivate the team when they were tired from running gassers after practice. 

“Tua was like, ‘Who is this psychopath? I fear him,’” McDaniel recalled Tua telling him. “It took one team moment for Tua to feel his [Fitzpatrick’s] impact."