What Tua Said About Tyreek, Facing X, Waller, and the Offense

Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa is ready for his fifth consecutive season-opening start

Miami Dolphins starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) on the sidelines during the Dolphins preseason game against the Detroit Lions in the fourth quarter at Ford Field during the preseason. | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

As far as Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is concerned, the issue of his relationship with Tyreek Hill really isn't an issue anymore.

After saying early in training camp that there was work to be done and then stating later that it still was a work in progress, Tagovailoa said Wednesday there's really no reason to even bring up the subject.

"I would say it's good," Tagovailoa said of the relationship during his weekly press conference. "I think for what it was earlier in the summer, was just that. And I think people might have blown it out of proportion to where now, I mean, we've worked on it and I think that conversation is dead now.

"I think once people see Tyreek score on Sunday, everyone will forget about that. So we're in a good spot, and we've been in a good spot for some time as well. So I'm really happy with that, and pleased with that, and I'm very pleased with how our guys are operating now in all rooms, tight ends, running backs, receivers, O-line, all of that."

TUA ON OTHER TOPICS

Tua touched on several other topics during his weekly media session, and here were the highlights:

On facing the Colts after missing the game last season when he was on IR because of his concussion: "Yeah, I would say it's always a struggle when you're not able to be out there with your guys. You work tirelessly with them, with getting the timing right, the footwork, progressions, spots with those guys, and just can't do anything to help but cheer them on or have communication with them on the sideline. So, I've said it many times, but I really can't be putting the team in that situation."

On his confidence level in the offense for the regular season opener: "Well, only time will tell when we get to play on Sunday. So we know what the expectations are for our team. We know what the standard is for our team as a unit, right? Special teams, offense and defense. We got to go show that you don't just talk about that. Yeah, sure, you want to talk about it with within the team, but we got to go show that for the talk. And we just got to go show it."

On how much more challenging it is to face a team in its first game with a new defensive coordinator: "Yeah, it's always tough, because I think we are a nuance to teams where they might show one thing against us, but never show it again against another team, and then that's how other teams build off of OK, if this team found success against the Dolphins, then maybe we can try that, but add to it, so I would say it's week to week is always going to be a challenge. But you go off of the base and fundamentals of what their defensive structure is, and then you go from there, and you build off of that."

On facing former Dolphins CB Xavien Howard: "I think that'd be cool. I got a lot of respect for my dawg. He was really the last of the Mohicans. He was the OG when I got in here. And so I got a lot of respect for him. And, I mean, I think he was the longest Dolphin that I can remember since being here."

On what would make a successful season: "To win it. I mean, that's a successful season every time. We're trying to win it all. If not, I don't know why we're playing football."

On the rapport he's been able to build with Darren Waller: "I think the cool thing about D-Wall is he's been staying locked in mentally. When we were on the road, he'd come and ask me questions, like, 'Hey, I seen you work this route with this guy. Why did you why did you throw it this way? Or why did you throw it that way? Or what are you seeing, or what are you looking at?' I think he's been really locked in throughout the past couple of weeks, and then we've had some reps with him as well. So we'll see."

On being elected as a team captain again: "Yeah, it means a lot. I say that because I think my leadership for myself — and you know how I've grown as a person as well — has changed over the years, with how I look at things within the team, with how I interact with guys, all of that. I think it's changed and it's grown. And I think as the season goes on, that's not to say too for the guys that also got mentioned as captains it's an honor for us to be named by our teammates, by coaches as well, to be named captain. And you can't take that lightly. There's a lot of guys that wanted to be captains on this team but didn't get voted. So we don't take that lightly, but we can definitely carry that into the season, because it's going to take us players to get this ball moving."