Tua Tagovailoa getting trolled by Mike McDaniel is pure gold
By Brian Miller
Mike McDaniel loves to have fun with his starting quarterback, and on Saturday night, he had an opportunity to poke Tua Tagovailoa a bit on the sideline. It's a stark contrast to life with Brian Flores.
The Miami Dolphins head coach is unique. He isn't the type of person most NFL fans think of when they hear "NFL head coach." He is quirky, smart, and sometimes acts like a kid, like he did on Saturday night.
McDaniel was approached on the sideline as the team began the second half and asked about Tua's start.
His reply was another McDaniel-ism that kept things light for the fans.
Mike McDaniel's response to Tua's first pass was the most Mike McDaniel thing ever
The fact McDaniel is bringing up an interception from a season ago during a preseason game is what makes him endearing to fans. He wasn't knocking his quarterback but clearly was taking a jab at some of the negative media members, as well as his own quarterback.
Tua has blossomed under McDaniel and he opened his preseason start with five completions on five attempts and led the team to a touchdown against the Commanders first-team defense. He did this without Odell Beckham, Tyreek Hill, and Jaylen Waddle.
In a separate interview, McDaniel was impressed with the offensive play in that first series. He said that there were things that needed to be addressed and cleaned up, but his team showed a lot. He mentioned the two fourth-down conversions, something he would obviously like to see not be an issue once the season begins.
For McDaniel, however, it isn't about what he can do well in preseason. He and Tua both need to prove they can successfully win in the regular season against top NFL teams. The Dolphins will get a chance early with the Jaguars and Bills coming to Hard Rock Stadium.