Tua Tagovailoa entered his third season facing questions about whether the Miami Dolphins made a grave error selecting him ahead of Justin Herbert, the Los Angeles Chargers’ starting quarterback. The former No. 5 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft is quickly changing the narrative following a blazing start to 2022.
“Miami Dolphin’s Tua Tagovailoa still getting ‘yeah, buts’ from network pundits,” read a headline from the Miami Herald in December 2021. A CBS Sports headline this week mentions him “joining Dan Marino in history books” after his Week 2 performance against the Baltimore Ravens (36-for-50, 469 yards, six TDs).
It is likely that no quarterback had more pressure on him entering the 2022 season than Tagovailoa. The Dolphins made more significant moves in the offseason to surround a young quarterback with high-end talent than any other team.
Tyreek Hill’s acquisition from the Kansas City Chiefs sent shock waves through the NFL, but Terron Armstead’s acquisition was equally significant. Tagovailoa’s success reflected the front office’s belief that he could make the leap required to validate his status as a former first-round draft pick.
Dolphins’ 2-0 start will only make that decision look smarter, and everyone who wrote Tagovailoa off will look more foolish.
As the No. 1 team in ESPN’s power rankings, Tagovailoa faces his toughest test against the Buffalo Bills in Week 3.