MIAMI GARDENS — When the Miami Dolphins were in Madrid for their last game before the bye week, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa opened up about a new challenge he faced this season.
It was bouncing back with his teammates in the locker room after he made his critical remarks last month after a loss to the Los Angeles Chargers calling out players for being late to player-led film sessions.
Tagovailoa has faced various obstacles in his career, whether it be injury concerns or getting started in the NFL under the tough coaching style of former coach Brian Flores, but this one was unique.
Tagovailoa felt like he let the team down from a leadership standpoint.
The late bye week, as the Dolphins come back on the other side of it at 4-7 and set to face the New Orleans Saints (2-9) at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, has offered Tagovailoa an opportunity for reflection going into the final six-game stretch of the season.
“There’s a lot of things I can learn from there that I’ve been able to look back at,” Tagovailoa said. “Had great reflection time, great rest and recovery as well throughout that time and just glad we get to get back at it and hopefully we can continue our win streak.”
Tagovailoa has been under a microscope in 2025 both for things said in front of the cameras and his league-leading 13 interceptions. But within that, there have been opportunities for growth, even as a sixth-year player in the league.
“It’s kind of the measure of, in the National Football League, if you’re going to be a successful, at franchise quarterback, head coach, trainer, video director — you have to be able to continually learn,” coach Mike McDaniel said Wednesday. “The second that you stop growing there is somebody else that is willing to. Tua has always given me so much confidence because he is so tough-minded in his ability to be frustrated but then attack, but be relentless on his expectations of himself, but continue to grow into the leader that this team needs him to be.”
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Said Tagovailoa: “There’s always something to learn from, but there is also something that you can always take away from whatever that difficult time was. And so for me, I think I’ve had many things to pick and choose throughout those difficult times to try to maneuver through.
“And then it’s also the aspect of coming in to work daily, having to be the leader for the guys, having to continue to operate, do things that I need to do to help accomplish what we want to do offensively.”
McDaniel highlighted how Tagovailoa has thrived in organizing the offense as Miami has won three of four entering Sunday’s game against New Orleans.
“His operation in getting our offense to have the right amount of conviction,” McDaniel said. “I’m talking out of the huddle, getting to the line of scrimmage fast, making sure that guys are motioning, getting set in unison and then attacking the post-snap play. He’s brought our offense to a higher level of operation. Usually you need extra veteran players who have done it before to step up their game. He’s done it with a lot of new faces, some young players and it’s been absolutely necessary and monumental for our team really.”
What stuck with Tagovailoa when he made his comments after the loss to the Chargers that dropped the team to 1-5 was that he broke the Dolphins’ No. 1 rule: Protect the team.
“And then I go out and say what I say in the media, regardless of what my intent was, none of that should’ve been shared,” Tagovailoa said. “None of that should’ve been said, and I think that helped with my leadership, although I wished I could have not said any of that or I could have taken that back. But it’s out there. I said it. I owned up to it with the leaders and then with the team, as well.”
Kirk Cousins #18 of the Atlanta Falcons speaks with Tua Tagovailoa #1 of the Miami Dolphins after the game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Oct. 26, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Washington Commanders safety Darnell Savage (25) tries to block a pass from Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) during the second half of an NFL football game between the Washington Commanders and the Miami Dolphins in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
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