Tua Tagovailoa overtakes Patrick Mahomes to become NFL MVP betting favorite

After a hot start to the 2023 NFL campaign, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is listed as the betting favorite to win this season’s league MVP award, according to multiple sportsbooks.

The season is young, but Tagovailoa currently leads the NFL in several categories, including passing yards, yards gained per pass attempt and yards gained per pass completion.

In Week 1, the quarterback completed 62.2 percent of his passes for 466 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. In Week 2, he completed 70.0 percent of his passes for 249 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Above all, the 25-year-old has the Dolphins at 2-0, and optimism surrounding the team hasn’t been this high in a long time.

Many folks are starting to look at Tagovailoa’s squad as a legitimate threat to win the AFC, a narrative that undoubtedly helps the quarterback’s MVP case. The Dolphins are the only undefeated team in the AFC East, a division that looked like perhaps the toughest in the NFL heading into the season.

Tagovailoa heard his name mentioned in some MVP conversations last season, but his concussion woes took him out of the running. Now, he’s looking to stay on the field all season long and prove that he’s one of the game’s elite quarterbacks.

Questions regarding Tagovailoa’s ability to become a franchise quarterback are getting quieter by the day, and now more than ever, it looks like the Dolphins got their guy in the 2020 NFL Draft. If the Hawaii native keeps playing at a high level, Miami is likely going to do everything in its power to keep him around for a long time.

For now, the Dolphins have plenty of work to do in the weeks ahead. They’ll get back to business in Week 3 with a game against Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos, who are winless so far this season.

The Dolphins are trying to make the playoffs in back-to-back years for the first time in over two decades. If they can check that box, Tagovailoa may end up with some nice accolades at the end of the campaign.