Just days after the Miami Dolphins selected Tua Tagovailoa with their first pick in the 2020 NFL draft, it appears that the rookie quarterback is already exhibiting the leadership qualities they were looking for when they selected him.
Tagovailoa’s realistic approach to the unique circumstances caused by the coronavirus pandemic has him already adapting to the different atmosphere posed by the situation.
“With the given circumstances, I’m just going to be talking to the coaches and kind of seeing how we’re going to go about doing things as an organization,” Tagovailoa said. “From there really, we’ve just got to hope and pray that everything works out and that we can get back to spending time as a team.”
Developing chemistry with future teammates is also something that Tagovailoa looking to address before any preseason camps take place.
“I think for me, the most important thing is probably getting everyone’s phone number on the team and just creating relationships,” Tagovailoa said. “Maybe starting out with the quarterbacks and then working my way down to the linemen or starting with the linemen, but just creating relationships a little at a time. Especially during times like this, it’s hard, so I think that’d be best.”
Building trust is an incredibly important, yet underrated aspect of the quarterback position. The fact that Tagovailoa already possesses that sort of mindset has to make the Dolphins organization even more comfortable with their selection.
Tagovailoa will be brought along slowly by the Dolphins, partly because of his rookie status but also because he’s still trying to make a full recovery from major hip surgery in late 2019.
That injury, as well as previous health issues, are part of the doubt that some critics have about Tagovailoa’s chances for success. Another is his height, with the University of Alabama product standing at 6-foot-1.
While that’s not necessarily small, it’s not the ideal height. However, some Tagovailoa supporters have compared him to Drew Brees, who’s still going in the final years of a Hall of Fame career.
Dolphins general manager Chris Grier is certainly hoping that he has the same level of success that his father, Bobby, had two decades ago when the elder Grier was making draft picks for the New England Patriots.
In the sixth round of the 2000 draft, the elder Grier chose a University of Michigan quarterback named Tom Brady.
The younger Grier would be more than happy if Tagovailoa ends up with anything close to the six Super Bowls that Brady helped win in New England.
