The future seems to be all about Tua Tagovailoa for the Miami Dolphins, but this year it will start off at Ryan Fitzpatrick under center, as the Dolphins allow their first round draft pick ample time to get healthy and prepared.
In case fans were wondering if the competition between Tagovailoa, Fitzpatrick, and Josh Rosen was generating any form of a rivalry, Tua spoke about how he sees the current projected Dolphins starter, Fitzpatrick.
“To start it off with Fitz, very, very down-to-earth person, very humble,” Tagovailoa said, according to ESPN’s Cameron Wolfe. “To be a professional like that is mind-boggling how down-to-earth he is. This guy just gets it. I don’t know what it is. He just gets it.
Tagovailoa, 22, showed up to his first group media availability since draft weekend wearing a #14 Fitzpatrick jersey, and a great attitude.
“That saying goes true. It says if you want to get somewhere fast, you go alone, and if you want to go somewhere with purpose, you bring people with you. I think Fitz has done a tremendous job of trying to shape and mold me, and Josh [Rosen] as well. It’s been pretty cool to go through that process with him.”
Tua also discussed virtually meeting Fitzpatrick’s wife and seven children for the first time earlier this week.
“While we were on FaceTime, everyone was scattered around the house,” Tagovailoa said. “He introduced me to his kids, then his wife. He said this is it, this is everyone, this is my family. Then lo and behold, he forgets two of them.”
Tagovailoa says that he is 100% healthy and will be fully cleared to practice, but needs to clear the hurdle of being tackled, which may not happen until he officially enters an NFL game.
“You just never know until it actually happens,” Tagovailoa said. “I won’t know the feeling until I actually do get tackled. It’s almost like the trial-and-error kind of thing. You gotta go out and do it in order to know if it does hurt or it doesn’t. That’s pretty much what I can say. But as far as I how I feel right now, everything is going well.”
“My focus right now is just try to get into the playbook, try to understand what we’re doing offensively and build relationships with the guys on the team,” Tagovailoa said. “I definitely believe Coach Flo [Brian Flores], Chan, [quarterbacks coach] Robby [Brown], all those guys that are going to be making their decisions, they’re going to put the team in the best position they think is possible. If that means supporting someone or not, that’s what it’s going to be.”
