Only Tua Tagovailoa can change the media’s narrative about him

The last quarterback that I remember receiving the vitriol from the media like Tua Tagovailoa was Tim Tebow. He couldn’t change that perception, can Tua?

No one is going to prop up Tua like they do Justin Herbert. Tua could lead the Miami Dolphins to the  playoffs and even the Super Bowl this year and the mainstream media will tell you it was because of Tyreek Hill, Mike McDaniel, and done so in spite of what Tua does on the field.

For two seasons, Dolphins fans have endured listening to the narrative that Tua simply isn’t a good NFL quarterback. That he isn’t a franchise QB and while those are opinions, we know this narrative all too well. We have seen it before and we know what is coming next.

Tua is traded after the 2022 season.

• Tua is getting the fresh start that he needs
• Tua wasn’t supported properly in Miami and this is a good start again for him.
• Tua is going to surprise a lot of people now that he is out of Miami.

Right about now you are shaking your head in agreement. Even if you don’t like him, you agree with it. The media is like that. Tear you down until you move on. Ryan Tannehill went through this and now the media think he is the right guy for the Titans.

Mike McDaniel isn’t going to change this. Only Tua Tagovailoa can change this. He doesn’t need to be perfect to win, he doesn’t need to be perfect to get to the playoffs or to run McDaniel’s offense. He needs to be perfect to shut up the detractors.

It is so hard to believe that three years ago Tua was considered by far and away the best college quarterback prospect. A guaranteed first-overall draft pick. The player that would take whichever team drafted him out of the cellar and to the top of a division. Then, he broke his hip.

The media loved his recovery. Impressed by his quick turnaround. He still had a future but when he was drafted by Miami, the question was why would they waste the pick? Waste the opportunity to draft Justin Herbert? What was Miami thinking?

That didn’t change during the first-year rotation with Ryan Fitzpatrick. That was on Brian Flores. It didn’t change during his second season when he dealt with, again, Brian Flores’ wrath. Nothing has been handed to Tua since he arrived in Miami.

Tua has been saddled with an uphill climb pushing a heavy cart.

• Brian Flores didn’t want him and let him know it.
• Flores wanted Fitzpatrick to start.
• Flores wanted Brissett to start.
• Blowup in locker room during Titans game.
• Tua kept on bench though healthy.
• Tua has no WR help, no run game help, no offensive line help.

Like Tua or not, these too are also very accurate. Yet Tua stands at podiums with a smile on his face. He is polite when asked repetitive questions about his play. Tua remains Tua through it all. A humble man with deep family roots and values, much like Tim Tebow with more talent.

Tua isn’t going to lead the league in yardage or touchdowns. He isn’t going to become a running QB that leads the league in QB rushing yards. He is going to place in the top 15 or even top 10 in completion percentages. He will rank high in QBR but will it be enough to shut up the voices that continue to tell you how bad he is for the Dolphins? Sadly, probably not.