Having had to live up to a tremendous deal of hype from when he was coming out of Alabama, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has had a lot to prove since entering the NFL in 2020. And for all of his success in 2023, he's still trying to prove it.
In a pivotal year after an injury-plagued 2022 season, Tagovailoa has responded as the triggerman of Miami's No. 1-ranked offense, posting career highs in completion percentage (71%) and passing yards (3,921). And yet, the noise around Tagovailoa and an eagerness to rationalize his success as being a product of his supporting cast has persisted -- specifically, the idea that Tagovailoa is only good because he has Tyreek Hill to throw to on what are often wide-open deep shots down the field.
In a 30-0 shutout win over the New York Jets, with Hill on the sidelines due to an injury suffered against the Tennessee Titans, Tagovailoa did a good deal to dispel that narrative. And in his Wednesday media availability, he left little doubt as to how he feels about the narratives that have continued to dog him.
Tua Tagovailoa: “I keep receipts.”
— David Furones (@DavidFurones_) December 20, 2023
Dolphins QB responds to the narrative that he only plays well when Tyreek Hill is in the lineup with him.
“Yeah, sure. I am only good with Tyreek in,” he said sarcastically in an impassioned answer. pic.twitter.com/zeouf06gPM
"Everyone wants to make this about me, about Tyreek -- please, keep pushing it to Tyreek. Make it about Tyreek," Tagovailoa said. "I understand that my platform and who I am in this league as a quarterback makes me, if you want, polarizing. Whether I'm the best, whether I'm the worst, I could care less. I don't listen to it.
"At the end of the day, I really don't care ... I keep receipts. We all have a way of how we do things. But all the narratives about it, sure. I am only good with Tyreek in. You're right. That is the only time that I'm at my best. You're right. I'm only good when Jaylen [Waddle]'s in. ... I'm only as good as Raheem Mostert allows me to be. That's what the narrative needs to be and we're able to win games and go where we want to go as a team. I am the worst football player, if that's what you want.
"I don't care. I really don't. Whatever it is, whatever you need on your show, take clips out of what I just said. Do it. Do what you need to do. I'm just here to do my job, and my job is to help our guys win."
What helps Tagovailoa is that he can make such proclamations from a position of strength. The Dolphins boast a 10-4 record and are in a position to win the AFC East for the first time since 2008 with three games left in the regular season.
