Tua has One Job in 2025: STAY HEALTHY!

Miami Dolphins OTAs are in full swing, and Mike McDaniel spoke to the media on Wednesday. When Mike was asked about Tua Tagovailoa, he was explicitly asked if there is a point of emphasis that he is working with Tua on this offseason.

In typical Mike McDaniel fashion, he gave a very long answer, but I don’t think Mike’s answer got to the heart of the matter. McDaniel said,

“I think for Tua (Tagovailoa), being in Year 4 of the system, really going through the process and understanding what his job is and how to excel at it, it’s consistency of development for him. I think there was a lot of lessons learned, last year in particular on and off the field, when he was playing and when he wasn’t, how to do his job. I’ll let him talk at specificity. When we’re talking, he’s the quarterback, the franchise quarterback of a team that his job is to lead men each and every play. Finding different ways to continue the process of evolution for him, that’s always been the name of the game for him. Whether that’s getting the offense to the line of scrimmage faster out of the huddle, whether that’s being able to adjust protections, do side adjusts, growing his game, work on progressions, working on escaping the pocket and getting rid of it, all the things that a quarterback is asked to do, I think that’s where he’s at. There’s nothing – he’s dipped his toe in the water with everything and now it’s consistency of mastery, and that’s why it’s a never-ending exercise.”

While the answer overall is fine, McDaniel should have been totally honest that the point of emphasis is that Tua must stay healthy.

That’s it.

In 2025, this upcoming season, Tua must be on the field, and he must do a better job of protecting himself.

When McDaniel brings up Tua being a better leader of men, getting the offense to the line of scrimmage faster out of the huddle, and being able to adjust protections…blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.

Yeah, all of that stuff is great, only if Tua is on the field.

Here is the point of emphasis for Tua in OTAs, Mini-Camp, Training Camp, and especially the regular season.

1. Slide

2. If you are flushed out of the pocket, get down or get rid of the ball

3. Don’t try to tackle anyone if you throw an interception.

That’s it. Those are the things Tua has to work on, nothing else.

There are the finer points of the game Tua (like any other starting quarterback) needs to work on, but none of that matters if Tua is in street clothes wearing a baseball cap.

Sometimes, the job of a head coach isn’t to sugar coat everything or to tap dance around every question.

This was a question McDaniel could have answered bluntly and straightforwardly, and I think it would have been fine.

I don’t want to be that guy, but SPOILER ALERT: If Tua isn’t on the field, Zach Wilson isn’t leading the Dolphins to many wins. Either is rookie 7th-round pick Quinn Ewers. Not hating, just stating.

Miami changed the faces of their quarterback room; I am not sure they upgraded the depth of their quarterback room.

Because any real Dolphins fan knows the real answer if they are being honest and not lying to themselves, the point of emphasis this offseason is Tua learning to protect himself better on the football field.

Nothing else!

And if Tua isn’t on the field, this Dolphins team has no shot at winning games in 2025.