Whatever Tua Tagovailoa\u2019s intentions may have been when he made comments after the Miami Dolphins\u2019 29-27 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers calling out his teammates for not showing up to players-only meetings, they haven\u2019t been received in a positive light for the Dolphins quarterback.<\/p>\n
Former NFL players<\/a>, executives<\/a> and ex-teammates<\/a> of Tagovailoa have expressed disappointment in Tagovailoa\u2019s comments. After having an opportunity to hear his quarterback\u2019s words, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel also believes Tagovailoa could have handled things differently.<\/p>\n \u201cIt doesn\u2019t surprise me whatever reaction \u2014 I think regardless of intent and what was on Tua\u2019s mind, after a loss, as the franchise quarterback, that\u2019s not the forum to displace that,\u201d McDaniel said on Monday.<\/a> \u201cI think he knows that now. I do honestly believe there was no ill intention but you\u2019re talking about a misguided representation of player-orchestrated film sessions.<\/p>\n \u201cThe bottom line is, nobody is going to be happy and always is looking for reasons for failure to succeed, so you\u2019re trying to look for reasons that you can attribute to losses. Heavy is the crown of being a franchise quarterback. What I do know is that he\u2019s directly communicated with a lot of guys, starting with last night. That\u2019s what teammates do. You live and you learn.\u201d<\/p>\n After the Dolphins fell to 1-5 on the season, Tagovailoa didn\u2019t mince words in his postgame news conference.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it starts with the leadership and helping articulate that for the guys, and then what we\u2019re expecting out of the guys, right? We\u2019re expecting this. Are we getting that? Are we not getting that?\u201d Tagovailoa said. \u201cWe have guys showing up to player-only meetings late, guys not showing up to player-only meetings. There\u2019s a lot that goes into that. Do we have to make this mandatory? Do we not have to make this mandatory? It\u2019s a lot of things of that nature that we got to get cleaned up, and it starts with the little things like that.\u201d<\/p>\n McDaniel has been on the hot seat almost from the outset of the season \u2014 and his seat may be hotter than ever<\/a> \u2014 but many people interpreted Tagovailoa\u2019s comments as not only throwing his teammates under the bus, but also saying the leadership within the locker room was not respected enough for players to adequately respond. Tagovailoa, as the franchise quarterback and team captain, would be the face of that leadership.<\/p>\n \u201cIf players aren\u2019t showing up to player-led meetings, that starts with you,\u201d former NFL player and general manager Ran Carthon said<\/a>. \u201cThat has nothing to do with Mike McDaniel, that has nothing to do with Chris Grier, that has nothing to do with anybody that is not in that locker room. That\u2019s you, that\u2019s your teammates that all wear that \u2018C\u2019 on their chest. That\u2019s you guys not holding each other accountable. That has nothing to do with the head coach.\u201d<\/p>\n On the list of former NFL players who voiced their opinion against Tagovailoa are Dez Bryant, Andrew Whitworth, Jermon Bushrod and Devin McCourty.<\/p>\n Tagovailoa ranks 21st in the NFL this season in QBR and passer rating. His seven interceptions are behind only Geno Smith and Jake Browning. Tagovailoa signed a four-year contract extension last summer at an annual average value of $53.1 million. Only five quarterbacks in the NFL have a higher AAV figure than Tagovailoa.<\/p>\n Earlier this season, Tagovailoa clapped back at criticism from former NFL MVP Cam Newton<\/a>, who had cited Tagovailoa\u2019s salary when saying that the Miami QB\u2019s play had not lived up to his contract.<\/p>\n \u201cBro, what you\u2019re being paid, what you\u2019re asked to do, what you have the capability of, from one quarterback to the other \u2014 I look at his situation like, bro, come on, dawg,\u201d Newton said last month on ESPN\u2019s \u201cFirst Take<\/a>. \u201cEspecially when you\u2019ve got a Ferrari and a Lamborghini and other amenities that some quarterbacks wish they had.\u201d<\/p>\n