After three seasons without making the playoffs, the Miami Dolphins decided to part ways with Brian Flores – a departure that was far from quiet. The front office went after former San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, who is expected to turn things around in South Florida.
On top of that, the Fins have been active on the market, trading with the Kansas City Chiefs for star wide receiver Tyreek Hill, among other notable moves. Their priority is clear: to make real progress and start playing postseason football.
That’s why 2022 could be a very telling year for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who has not had an easy start to his NFL career. The Alabama Crimson Tide product, however, seems confident with the changes that were made in Miami, as he feels a different mood in the locker room.
Tua Tagovailoa already sees differences between Mike McDaniel’s Dolphins and Brian Flores’ Fins
Even though the first stages of theorganized team activities are optional for players, many veteran and big-name players in the Dolphins’ roster showed up at the team facility to get to work.
Tagovailoa explains there’s a reason behind it, which is the excitement that exists in the locker room since McDaniel arrived.“The locker room feels different. We’re all excited,” Tagovailoa said, as quoted by Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN. “This is the first time I’ve seen a lot of guys show up to Phase I of OTAs and a lot of veterans are showing up to it. I think that speaks a lot to Mike and the relationship he has with a lot of the guys on the team and the amount of respect that he has from the players in the locker room.”
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel. (Eric Espada/Getty Images)
The third-year quarterback didn’t speak about Flores, but he didn’t need to. Many things have been said about his relationship with the former Dolphins head coach, although Flores denied having any problem with Tua.
Either way, a new era has begun in Miami, and Tua wants to make the best out of it. He knows that all eyes will be on him this year, but he doesn’t feel afraid about it. “I think pressure is going to be there every time,”Tagovailoa added. “I don’t feel more pressure that we’ve acquired all of these guys. It’s more of an opportunity that I get, that we all get as a team, to show what we can do this year.”
