Tua Tagovailoa credits Mike McDaniel’s ’emotional intelligence’ for recent Miami Dolphins success

Mike McDaniel is shooting 100 percent in getting the Miami Dolphins to the playoffs since becoming the organization’s head coach, and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa seems to think that McDaniel’s emotional intelligence has played a major role in the team’s growth.

“Now, with our head coach…I think the thing that he’s done that’s been really good is he has a heightened sense of emotional intelligence in reaching out to guys,” Tagovailoa told Fox News Digital. “… Coaching is trying to get guys to do the same thing at once. But some guys don’t learn the same way as others. And so, he tried to find ways around: ‘How can I get this guy to be on the same page as that guy? OK, that’s how he learns? That’s how we’re going to do it.’”

McDaniel’s approach has certainly won over the hearts of many fans and players. His personality has seemingly even made the Dolphins a more appealing destination for some.

“I think taking that sort of approach has really helped everyone on the team throughout the past two years,” Tagovailoa added.

Tagovailoa began his NFL career playing under former Dolphins head coach Brian Flores, whose approach wasn’t always popular. McDaniel has brought a different type of energy to the franchise.

The next step for the 41-year-old head coach is to help the Dolphins experience some playoff success. While he has done a nice job of getting the team to the postseason in recent years, he’s still looking for his first playoff win as a head coach, and the Dolphins are still trying to grab their first playoff win in multiple decades.

The squad went 9-8 in the 2022 season and 11-6 in the 2023 season before taking a quick playoff exit each time. In the 2024 campaign, the Dolphins will look to take advantage of a new-look AFC East. The division could be up for grabs given the way the offseason has gone.

But Miami hasn’t been immune to a tumultuous offseason, as the squad has seen a lot of roster turnover in recent months. The changes will present McDaniel with a new challenge in the upcoming season as he looks to maximize the talent the Dolphins still have around.

The head coach’s emotional intelligence has clearly done wonders for Miami during his stint with the franchise. Now, it’s time for everything to come together — and Tagovailoa will look to help make that happen in his fifth NFL season.