Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa apologized on Wednesday for his statements made after Sunday’s loss to the Chargers. Tagovailoa, in his appearance before the media, took responsibility for the impact of his words on his teammates.
The quarterback acknowledged that his comments added pressure to a team seeking to improve its performance. “I have to see myself as the leader who protects the team. I feel like I didn’t do my best. I let the emotions of the game affect me after the game. And that’s something I can learn from as a leader on this team,” he added. After Sunday’s defeat, Tagovailoa was asked how to prevent players from feeling discouraged after a season start with a 1-5 record. At that moment, he pointed out that the team’s management needed to clearly establish expectations for the rest of the team, and that these should be met. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel called Tagovailoa’s comments “misguided” and made in an inappropriate forum. Several players, including Rasul Douglas, Aaron Brewer, and Patrick Paul, chose not to comment on Tagovailoa’s public statements, arguing that the team’s internal matters should remain within. Defensive tackle Zach Sieler, also team captain, expressed that everyone is entitled to their opinion, but preferred not to criticize the quarterback. McDaniel stated that he has had no problems with player attendance at team meetings, and that Tagovailoa’s comments referred only to exclusive player sessions. Tagovailoa admitted that his initial comments were a product of frustration and that conversations with his teammates opened him up to perspectives he hadn’t considered before. Miami’s season start is the worst since 2021, when they started with a 1-7 record before finishing with 9-8 and being one game away from the AFC playoffs. Tagovailoa commented that the adversity the Dolphins are currently facing teaches the players a lot about each other.I made a mistake and I own it. I’ve spoken with the teammates, with the leaders, and they know how I feel. They know the intention was good. But regardless of the intention… when things are misinterpreted or how the media wants to portray it, that leaves a void of silence and many questions for the guys on our team, who are now 1-5.
Tua Tagovailoa
The quarterback concluded by stating that, despite the difficulties, there have been no fights or accusations among the players, but rather everyone has been dedicated to working to improve the team’s performance.First of all, you can see what a person is really like when you go through difficulties. You see, ‘¿Does this person start pointing fingers? ¿Does this person take it to heart every time? ¿How does each one face the situation?’. I think you can also get a good idea of the team you have.
Tua Tagovailoa
