NFL: Tua Tagovailoa is close to set a left-handed passing record

Tua Tagovailoa is on fire. Forget the doubters, forget the injury concerns, because in 2023, the Miami Dolphins quarterback is rewriting the narrative with a season so dominant, it’s left the NFL in awe.

Entering Week 17, Tagovailoa leads the league in passing yards (4,214), completion percentage (70.5%), and 2nd spot passer rating (105.4). He’s thrown 26 touchdowns to just 10 interceptions, a testament to his surgical precision and decision-making.

His weapons, like Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, are feasting on his throws, turning the Miami offense into a high-octane juggernaut. Defenses are scrambling, unable to contain the Tua-led aerial assault.

Tua’s upcoming lefty record

According to NFL stats and a reddit user’s research (u/sip-em_bears), Tua Tagovailoa needs only 153 passing yards to have the single-season with the most passing yards for a left-handed quarterback. Currently the record is held by Mark Brunell with 4,367 passing yards in 1996.

Tua Tagovailoa quarterback of the Miami Dolphins during a 2023 NFL regular season with the Miami Dolphins.

Much will depend on how the opposing defensive lines, particularly the Baltimore Ravens in Week 17 and the Buffalo Bills in the season finale, are able to contain Tua and the Dolphins’ offense. It’s worth noting that Miami already lost to the Bills 20-48 in Week 4, so facing them again poses a major hurdle.

It is highly likely that he will be able to cover the 153 passing yards if the remaining two games of the regular season turn out to be good for him.

But it’s more than just stats. Tagovailoa is playing with a swagger we haven’t seen before. He’s extending plays, escaping pressure, and delivering pinpoint throws on the run. He’s reading defenses like a seasoned veteran, dictating the tempo of the game with an ice-cold coolness.

Are passes more difficult for a left-handed quarterback?

There’s no inherent difficulty in throwing passes as a left-handed quarterback compared to a right-handed one. Both styles require the same level of athleticism, skill, and understanding of the game. However, there are some nuances and adjustments that left-handed quarterbacks might need to make like field vision, footwork and release and pass trajectories.

Has any left-handed quarterback won the Super Bowl?

Yes, two left-handed quarterbacks have won the Super Bowl. Ken Stabler: He led the Oakland Raiders to victory in Super Bowl XI (1977) against the Minnesota Vikings. Steve Young: He won a Super Bowl as a starter in 1995 (XXIX) with the San Francisco 49ers against the San Diego Chargers, and two other rings as a backup (XXIII, XXIV). Though left-handed quarterbacks are less common, these examples demonstrate that they can achieve the highest level of success in the NFL, including winning the ultimate prize.