Kelly: Timing of QB change questioned
Dolphins players wonder why QB change was made now
Why now? That’s the main question Miami Dolphins players found themselves asking each other when the news about their team’s change at quarterback scrolled across their television or social media timeline.
Then group messages erupted among them. Everyone in the organization — including former starter Ryan Fitzpatrick — knew Tua Time was eventually coming. All it would take was one bad performance for Fitzpatrick, an injury or a losing streak for Miami’s coaches to justify pushing Tua Tagovailoa into the starting lineup.
The players knew this.
Tagovailoa is expected to be this franchise’s savior, the Dolphins’ best quarterback since Dan Marino, and with Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert playing well why shouldn’t the Dolphins take Tagavailoa out for a spin before the roster is depleted by injuries, or COVID-19 shuts down the season?
Isn’t he supposed to be just as good, if not better, than those two, who were also top picks in April’s NFL draft?
That’s the hope, and Tagovailoa has done nothing to extinguish those dreams in his six months since Miami selected him fifth overall.
But Fitzpatrick had been playing well. He has been the main catalyst behind Miami’s three wins and is the alpha male of this locker room.
According to Dolphins players who spoke on the condition of anonymity, Tagovailoa was doing “all right” in practices. He wasn’t disappointing, but his weekly reps weren’t eye-opening, indicating that a change was needed.
One offensive player guessed that Tagovailoa had a mastery of about 40% of the offense.
“It’s not bad, but he’s not Fitz,” the player said.