‘QB Whisperer’: Start Tagovailoa

Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians — known as the NFL’s “quarterback whisperer” — said there should be no quarterback controversy for the Miami Dolphins.

He said he would start rookie Tua Tagovailoa — if he’s healthy — over longtime veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick.

“I think it all depends on his health; if he’s healthy I’m playing him,” Arians told 100.9 FM in Alabama, via JoeBucsFan.com.

“I don’t think you learn anything holding a clipboard,” Arians added. “You know, I had Peyton Manning his first year, Andrew Luck his first year, Ben [Roethlisberger] was one of those guys that went in by accident because Tommy Maddox got hurt. You miss all the practice reps, you miss the game reps. I don’t know what you learn holding a clipboard watching.”

The Dolphins, however, are expected to start Fitzpatrick while the team brings Tagovailoa along slowly.

Fitzpatrick, 37, is coming off one of the best — and most fulfilling — seasons of his 15-year career. His leadership and experience was the primary catalyst for rallying the undermanned Dolphins to a surprising five wins in 2019. Fitzpatrick also is quite familiar with new offensive coordinator Chan Gailey’s system, which he ran for five seasons with the Buffalo Bills and New York

Jets.

Fitzpatrick, who put up big numbers with the Bucs in 2018, has played for eight different teams in his NFL career.

Tagovailoa, Miami’s fifth pick in April’s draft, continues to progress from a November hip injury and expects to play during his rookie season. Doctors have expressed confidence that he’ll be fully healthy when training camp opens.

Tagovailoa led Alabama to a 22-2 record in his two seasons as a starter and completed 69.3 percent of his passes, throwing for 7,442 yards and 87 touchdowns with 11 interceptions.

See TAGOVAILOA, 14B