The Miami Dolphins traded for superstar wide receiver Tyreek Hill earlier this offseason, but the Dolphins were far from the only team interested in trading for him.
Most notably, the New York Jets were seen as contenders before the Dolphins completed the trade.
In the end, the Dolphins got their prize, and it turns out that quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was part of the reason why. Hill, who has been very complimentary of Tagovailoa ever since he joined Miami, recently said that the University of Alabama product was one of the things that drew him to South Florida.
“I go into work every day, man, and I look at Tua,” he told Haute Living. “He’s such a hard-working dude. A lot of people don’t give him credit for what he has done in his career. And then I see him out on the practice field, and he’s tremendous. He can put the ball anywhere on the field, standing in one spot. I just want to see him play, man, and play by his side. That’s part of the reason why I chose the Miami Dolphins — I wanted to play with the lefty.”
Hill went on to explain that he actively tracked down Tagovailoa shortly after the deal was done to start building a relationship with his new quarterback.
“The rest is history — we’ve been talking ever since,” Hill said. “He’s a good dude. You can sense that when you’re around him; you can feel his energy, which is genuine and pure. I can’t ask anything else from a man. He’s a good friend, and a good teammate to have on and off the field. I can always count on him.”
Hill’s comments will certainly come as music to the ears of Dolphins fans. Talent is, of course, important when it comes to a team’s passing game, but the connections that receivers have with their quarterback is similarly crucial in the NFL.
Tagovailoa established a great rapport with Jaylen Waddle last season, and he will surely look to do the same thing with Hill in the upcoming campaign.
Since entering the NFL, Tagovailoa has been questioned by many critics. Some have even gone so far as to label him a bust.
With a lot of new talent on the offensive side of the ball, the Dolphins have clearly made it a priority to give Tagovailoa what he needs to succeed. Whether or not that will lead to a breakout season and playoff berth for the team remains to be seen.
