Former GM Breaks Down Why Tua Tagovailoa Will Thrive in Miami Dolphins’ Offense

Published by

Peter Dewey

6 years ago

Former NFL general manager Charley Casserly is a big fan of Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores’ decision to bring in Chan Gailey to be the team’s offensive coordinator.

Casserly believes that the 68-year-old Gailey will help make rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s transition to the NFL much easier.

“Ten years ago, Chan Gailey told me that ‘the NFL will change,'” Casserley said on NFL Network last week. “‘They will run college offenses because they don’t have the time to develop those quarterbacks into pro offenses.’

“Guess what? Chan Gailey was ahead of his time. He runs a spread offense. He will take some of that [University of] Alabama stuff, put it in. He’s already running it. There won’t be a great learning curve for Tua Tagovailoa with Chan Gailey running that offense.”

The Dolphins reportedly are willing to play Tagovailoa this season, so making his transition to the NFL simpler would be an added bonus. Implementing a spread offense that the rookie is comfortable with should help him adjust to the differences of the professional game.

The No. 5 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Tagovailoa projects to be Miami’s long-term solution at the quarterback position.

His relationship with Gailey will be key if Tagovailoa wants to fulfill those expectations.

Peter Dewey

Peter is a graduate of Quinnipiac University where he covered the MAAC and college basketball for three years. He has worked for NBC Sports, the Connecticut Sun and the Meriden Record-Journal covering basketball and other major sports. Follow him on Twitter @peterdewey2.