Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa reveals feelings on playing in preseason games

Teams sitting starting quarterbacks through the preseason to keep them healthy for the regular season has become a common NFL practice. 

While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Miami Dolphins signal-caller Tua Tagovailoa addressed whether or not he'd like to see playing time during exhibition games. Miami opens the preseason with a matchup against the Chicago Bears on Aug. 10. 

"I'd definitely love to get some preseason snaps in. No doubt," Tagovailoa said, ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques shared. "It's a new season. It's a new year. Got to get things tuned in with the guys again, all of that. I don't think I'm better than anyone on this team, or think I'm too cool to get reps in during preseason games." 

It's understandable if Tagovailoa feels a bit rusty facing opposing defenses. He hasn't taken a meaningful in-game snap since the end of December, as a hip injury sidelined him for the final two games of 2024.

That said, head coach Mike McDaniel wants to protect Tagovailoa from himself this summer, given his injury history. Tagovailoa was sidelined for four games last season after he suffered his third reported concussion since 2022 in Week 2 of the campaign. Additionally, he has started every game during a season just once (in 2023) since Miami made him the fifth overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft. 

McDaniel and Co. should use the preseason to see what they have in backup quarterback Zach Wilson and rookie Quinn Ewers. The second pick of the 2021 draft, Wilson flopped during a three-season stint with the New York Jets before he spent the 2024 campaign as an unused backup with the Denver Broncos. 

Tagovailoa recently vowed that he wouldn't put himself "in situations where [he is] not available" for the Dolphins. For what it's worth, Louis-Jacques noted that Tagovailoa attempted just five passes during the preseason last summer.

"I don't mind that at all," Tagovailoa added on Wednesday about taking preseason snaps next month. "I would love that."

McDaniel will more so "love" having Tagovailoa in the lineup when Miami opens the regular season against the Indianapolis Colts on Sept. 7.