Tua Still Blocking Out Outside Noise
This probably won't come as major news to Miami Dolphins fans, but there might not be a quarterback around the NFL that's generated more discussion and more debate this offseason than Tua Tagovailoa.
Heck, forget this offseason. That statement could apply to the past year, the past two years, pretty much since the time the Dolphins made the lefty quarterback the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft.
While there's little doubt he's aware of all the noise, Tua has made it a point not to focus on any of it.
And that's certainly not about to change anytime soon, if he can help it.
"My entire life, I would say there's been noise and not specifically media," Tua said during his recent appearance on the Dolphins' Fish Tank podcast. "But for me, the noise has been my dad, and really that's what it is and what I mean by that is my dad is my biggest critic, aside from me, and my dad is going to shoot it straight. If that was the worst thing ever, that was the worst thing ever. Whereas a lot of my other family members would tell me like, 'You're you're the best, there's no one better than you, this or that,' my dad would tell me that that's just not good enough. It's never good enough. And that's kind of how it was growing up."
Tua Wants to Act Like He's Been There Before
Tagovailoa explained how his father drilled into him the idea of "act like you've been there before," and how that led to what he called his subdued reaction after he threw his game-winning touchdown pass to DeVante Smith to win the national title for Alabama as a freshman in the 2017 season.
"When we did win, I think I was probably the only one not celebrating as much as I probably should have," Tua said. "Because I had that running in my head like, act like you've been there before. So, like, fine, everyone, just hey, good game. Good job. And like just wait to talk to the media. But I was dying inside. I just want to celebrate but I was like, man, that's super exciting. And so just coming back with the media and all the outside noise,. it's one of those things where I fall back to act like I've been here before.
"Obviously this is new territory for me because at Alabama, their fans are all always uplifting and whatnot. But within the NFL, it's not just our fans that we have trying to support us but it's just everyone else outside watching. Other teams' fans, so act like you've been there before."
It's certainly going to help that the Dolphins beefed up the offense in the offseason with the acquisitions of speedy running backs Raheem Mostert and Chase Edmonds, Pro Bowl tackle Terron Armstead and, of course, dynamic wide receiver Tyreek Hill.
But Tua refuses to look at the improved talent around him as creating pressure, choosing instead a different viewpoint.
"I think pressure is everywhere, especially in our industry, or any professional industry," he said on the podcast. "Pressure is just there. But it's one of those things where you're either going to make use of this opportunity with the guys that we have or you're not and that's what it is. And so for me, I'm looking forward to making use of this opportunity."
