Dolphins protects Tua Tagovailoa from the media without saying they did

The Miami Dolphins have a starting quarterback this year and next in Tua Tagovailoa but did they pick up his option to avoid the media?

Mike McDaniel spoke with the media at the owners’ meeting and was asked why the Dolphins, specifically McDaniel, at the NFL Combine, said the team would take their time in picking up the 5th-year option for Tua. Then a short time later, they picked it up. McDaniel replied and it almost sounds as though they were protecting him.

I’m not trying to stir up controversy and I think the Dolphins were not only right to pick up the 5 but also would have regardless. There was no looking at the market to see what shakes off in my opinion but McDaniel almost seems to say they didn’t want to hurt his feelings.

McDaniel started with the company line, the “blah blah blah we wanted to assess the pros and cons” stuff.  Perfect.

He then said, ‘Alright, well, the scenario of picking up the fifth-year option gives Tua the best chance to be his best and is the best thing for the organization.’

And for me, that struck me a little odd. Why would it matter? Why would make that decision sooner rather than later make a difference at all? Should it? Shouldn’t he be trying to be his best regardless? He is on the roster in 2023 so he should be preparing.

O.k. I’m reading too much into it.

Then, McDaniel started talking about both sides maximizing an opportunity but then threw this in.

"It was more like, ‘All right, well, you know what, especially the media members that are in South Florida, they need to know this. We need to tell them this fifth your option is…’ I mean, once we knew we knew, so that way I didn’t have to play unnecessary poker face for no reason."

So did they announce the 5th-year option to get the media off their back? Get them to stop asking questions about it? Maybe stop the flow of constant trade for Lamar Jackson talk or Aaron Rodgers, or anyone else? Seems an odd statement to me but it is Mike McDaniels so was it him just being him? Probably.

"We knew once we did our due diligence in our process, it made a ton of sense to us, so we wanted to communicate and get that done and move forward with our lives.”"

Indeed, and for that Miami Dolphins fans thank you! Now we all can, well, most of us anyways.

For the record, I’m not bashing anyone here although some will take it that way. I just found the exchange both entertaining, odd, and enjoyable all at the same time. Probably one of the reasons Dolphins fans love McDaniel so much.