Tua Tagovailoa shows appreciation for Mike McDaniel’s captain selection process while throwing slight jab at Brian Flores

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was named a captain in a vote by his teammates for the 2022 season.

Tagovailoa, who is in his third season in the NFL, said that it won’t change how he leads, but he was grateful that players simply had to vote on the matter.

Apparently, that’s different from what the Dolphins did last season under Brian Flores, as he made players that wanted to be named captain give a speech to their teammates.

With new head coach Mike McDaniel leading the way in the 2022 season, things have changed in Miami, and Tagovailoa seems like a fan.

It’s common for starting quarterbacks to be named captains in the NFL, and it seems like Tagovailoa’s designation is just a natural step in him becoming the face of the franchise for Miami.

In two seasons in Miami, Tagovailoa has compiled a 13-8 record as a starter. He’s one of the most accurate passers in the game, completing 67.8 percent of his throws last season.

The key for Tagovailoa in the 2022 season will be his health, as injuries limited his time on the field in the 2021 season. With new weapons such as Tyreek Hill, Cedrick Wilson Jr. and Chase Edmonds on offense, the Dolphins are hoping Tagovailoa can take the next step in the 2022 season.

During the 2021 season, Tagovailoa appeared in 13 games for the Dolphins, making 12 starts. He threw for 2,653 yards and 16 touchdowns. The No. 5 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft played well enough for the Dolphins to go 7-5 in his starts, but they won just two of the five games that he missed.

Can Tagovailoa lead the Dolphins to the playoffs in 2022?

With the offensive-minded McDaniel taking over for Flores, the sky’s the limit for Tagovailoa this season.

McDaniel should help the Dolphins establish a solid running game, similar to his time with the San Francisco 49ers as their offensive coordinator, which should open up the field for his quarterback.

With Hill, Jaylen Waddle and others on the outside, the Dolphins have some of the best skill players in the NFL. Miami narrowly missed the playoffs in each of the last two seasons, and it’s shown it is an above .500 team when Tagovailoa is under center.

The AFC is going to be a tough conference in 2022, but the Dolphins certainly have the talent to push 10 wins and potentially grab a playoff spot if Tagovailoa takes the next step.