Tua Tagovailoa's recent remarks have sparked enough outrage to distract everyone from his and the Miami Dolphins' efforts (or lack thereof) on the field. He attempted to walk those comments back when addressing the media for the first time since making them.
Tagovailoa ostensibly knew his questionable choice of words following Miami's Week 6 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers was at the front of everyone's mind.
He wasted no time cutting to the chase, opening Wednesday's press conference with a sincere apology. While it was nice to hear him take full responsibility for causing an internal uproar, the damage may already be done.
Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa delivers genuine apology for publicly criticizing team, but it may be too late
"As a leader of this team, the Miami Dolphins, the comments that had been said, I would say I’ve made a mistake and I’m owning up to that right now," Tagovailoa told reporters. "I've talked to guys on the team about it, I've talked to the leaders about it. They know my heart, they know that the intent was right, but no matter the intent -- the intent can be right, but when things get misconstrued or however the media wants to portray it, that leaves a void of silence and a lot of questions for the guys on our team."
Moreover, Tagovailoa used this moment as a learning experience and an opportunity to reflect on his leadership style, which has been a hot-button issue. The 2023 Pro Bowl selection acknowledged that he brought the unnecessary drama and outside chatter that the Dolphins have desperately tried to block out.
"Being 1-5, we talk a lot about 'we gotta get this going,'" Tagovailoa said. "... come in excited for work and forget about the noise, and I feel like I just added on to that for our guys."
Well, Tagovailoa isn't wrong; he didn't make things any easier for himself or his Dolphins comrades, who are already behind the eight ball. Nevertheless, that's part of the problem, which is why saying sorry might prove futile, albeit commendable.
It's bad enough that the public has been throwing dirt on Tagovailoa, the Dolphins' locker room, and the organization. A friendly-fire criticism is the last thing this group needed, let alone from one of its captains, making this feel like an unsalvageable situation.