San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Willie Snead IV took a shot at Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa on social media.
Snead called the Dolphins quarterback “soft,” suggesting that the team won’t be good until he isn’t.
The Dolphins will be good when Tua stop acting soft AF 💯
— Willie Snead IV (@Willie_Snead4G) January 14, 2024
The Dolphins lost in the first round of the playoffs for a second consecutive season on Saturday night, losing 26-7 to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Tagovailoa struggled in the freezing temperatures in Kansas City, completing just 20 of his 39 pass attempts for 199 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He added three carries in the game for 25 yards.
After leading the AFC East for much of the 2023 regular season, the Dolphins blew their lead in the division in Week 18, losing to the Buffalo Bills.
That certainly impacted Miami’s playoff outlook, as instead of playing a home game in Miami, the team was forced to go on the road against the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs in the first round of the playoffs.
The Dolphins entered the game with just one win all season against a team over .500 (the Dallas Cowboys), and Miami was unable to keep up with Patrick Mahomes and company on Saturday.
Last season, the Dolphins made the playoffs despite injuries to Tagovailoa and then-backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, but the team was knocked out by Buffalo in the first round.
This season, things looked to be different given Miami’s strong start to the campaign and a healthy Tagovailoa, but the team was unable to win in Week 17, Week 18 or the playoffs.
Snead’s comments about Tagovailoa are certainly a little harsh, especially since the Dolphins quarterback put together a great regular season.
The No. 5 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Tagovailoa threw for an NFL-best 4,624 yards in the regular season. He completed a career-high 69.3 percent of his passes and threw for 29 touchdowns (also the best mark of his career).
The 25-year-old – who dealt with head injuries in the 2022 season – played in every game this season for the first time in his career.
While the season certainly didn’t end the way the Dolphins and Tagovailoa wanted, there are still some positives to take away from the 2023 campaign.
It’s possible that Snead’s comments will serve as motivation for the Dolphins quarterback going forward in his career.
