Dolphins’ dismal debut: could Miami cut ties with Tua Tagovailoa?

Yahoo Sports host Andrew Siciliano and senior NFL reporter Charles Robinson react to Miami’s embarrassing season-opening loss in Indianapolis and what it could mean for the future of the franchise if the struggles continue this season. Hear the full conversation on “Inside Coverage” – and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen.

Video Transcript

You know, Miami just did not do a good job either defensively or offensively, of showing up in this game.

And it, for me, is extremely concerning for the Dolphins.

When you sit here and you look at how Tyreek Hill, at points in this game, was reacting to the adversity on the field, you could see he was clearly upset.

And I think if this is something that extends on in the season, there’s gonna be a lot of talk about is Tyreek Hill gonna be in a Dolphins uniform after the trade deadline.

Um, there’s gonna be a lot of talk about Tua, Tongabaoa, who right now, is he cuttable by the Miami Dolphins, uh, in the sense that Russell Wilson was cuttable by the Denver Broncos.

Like, if you want to take an extinction-level event and, you know, destroy essentially your salary cap for a couple of years, there is a way to potentially move on from Tua, but, um, no, I mean this was just abject failure.

All right, so let’s talk about Tua here.

He had 3 giveaways in week one.

He had 2 picks and he lost a fumble as well.

This is his third game with 3 or more giveaways since 2024, which is tied for the most in the NFL.

There’s an exchange on the podium that I want to play here after the game, in which, in essence, he’s told in the question, you turn the ball over a lot sometimes.

Were you pressing?

Listen to this exchange.

From your standpoint, why is it that when you do have turnovers they happen in bunches?

Do, do you think is it you pressing or I wouldn’t say I’m pressing.

I would say it’s part of the game like you, you obviously don’t want to turn it over, um.

I thought that was a wild comment.

Then I turned the ball over bunches, that’s crazy.

Um, it just so happened that’s what happened today like it was what it was.

We gotta move forward from that, you know, can’t make those same mistakes.

And, and just move on from it.

Look, I’m a big Tua fan.

I, I, I am, but I was one of those guys who said when they gave him the deal that I had enough skepticism or doubts that I would have just used the franchise tag.

I, I, I wasn’t certain just with the overall lack of success for this team when it comes to January.

To me, the Dolphins are kind of, you know, they’re the beautiful sports car that you run around town when the sun is out with the top down and look at me, I’ve got this beautiful fast car, but when you get to January, it’s got no snow tires and it doesn’t work.

Now, listen, I don’t expect them to go to Kansas City and beat Patrick Mahomes on a day when people are legitimately getting frostbite in the stands at Arrowhead.

That’s bad for everybody.

You’re likely going to lose, anybody is going to lose that game.

But this group hasn’t had success.

The Dolphins haven’t won in January since forever.

So I was of the mind that do you have to pay Tua now?

Why don’t you wait?

Why don’t you wait to see if this group collectively with Mike McDaniel can be something other than your September fantasy darling.

Well, and I appreciate that you bring it up without talking about the health, right?

Because that, to me, when they did the deal across the league.

I think every doubter in other franchises, every front office, when you talk to people, they’re like, look, we understand in most situations, getting ahead of the quarterback market.

We all get it.

We all understand quarterback money is only going up.

There were only more quarterback deals that we’re gonna get done, um, you know, so you try to get that deal done as soon as possible.

However, you do it in the face of factors.

And I think with Tua, there were two factors there.

Number one, obviously the concussion issue, you know, that had been a longstanding concern.

Um, by the time they got around to doing the deal.

And frankly, I would argue, if you’re really going to be expansive about this, even when Tua came out in the draft, and I talked to teams about Tua, they would tell me, it’s really hard to break down film on Tua, because every time he throws a football to a wide receiver at Alabama, the guy’s open by 5 yards.

Like, I don’t know what this is going to look like when there is a ton of adversity on this guy, when there’s a ton of punishment taken.

I’m not sure I quite know exactly what sort of player he’s going to be at the NFL level.

And now, I do think it’s valid to talk about that again, because we are seeing what is happening under adversity.

Dolphins’ dismal debut: could Miami cut ties with Tua Tagovailoa?

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