Tua Tagovailoa calls out Dolphins teammates for missing players-only meetings after 1-5 start
By David Wasson
Published:
The Miami Dolphins are spiraling toward the drain of the National Football League through the first 6 weeks, dropping a 29-27 decision Sunday to the visiting Los Angeles Chargers. And quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is starting to point fingers as to some possible causes.
Tagovailoa, who starred at Alabama before heading to Miami with the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, took particular aim after the loss at some of his Dolphins teammates for not fulfilling expectations as well as criticizing team leadership for not holding players more accountable.
“I think it starts with the leadership and helping articulate that for the guys, and then what we are expecting out of the guys,” Tagovailoa said to reporters after the loss. “We are expecting this. Are we getting that, are we not getting that? We have guys showing up to player-only meetings late, guys not showing up to player-only meetings. … It’s a lot of things of that nature that we have got to get cleaned up, and it starts with that.”
Tagovailoa is one of 6 Dolphins team captains this season – joining fullback Alec Ingold, linebacker Jordyn Brooks, center Aaron Brewer, defensive tackle Zach Sieler and linebacker Bradley Chubb. Tagovailoa, Ingold and Sieler are repeat selections, while Ingold, Brooks and Brewer are first-time captains.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert rallied Los Angeles in the final minute against Miami on Sunday, hitting Ladd McConkey on a 42-yard catch-and-run to set up Cameron Dicker’s game-winning 33-yard field goal – his fifth of the game.
Miami plays at Cleveland next Sunday.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. He also hosts Gulfshore Sports with David Wasson, weekdays from 3-5 pm across Southwest Florida and on FoxSportsFM.com. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
