Dolphins' Tagovailoa not playing 'to keep my job' but knows improvement starts with him

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MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tua Tagovailoa has been reviewing his film from the past few seasons, analyzing what worked so well when he led the NFL with 4,624 yards passing in 2023 and had a career-best 72.9 completion rate in 2024.

The Dolphins quarterback is hoping to return to that form but hasn't nearly reached those same heights in the first half of Miami's 2025 season with 1,799 yards passing and 11 interceptions, which is tied for the most in the NFL.

Tagovailoa's performance, coupled with Miami's dismal 2-7 record, has reignited questions on the quarterback's future with the Dolphins. But both Tagovailoa and coach Mike McDaniel have dispelled the notion that the quarterback's starting role is in jeopardy.

“I wouldn't say I'm playing to keep my job,” Tagovailoa said Wednesday. “I think I'm playing to help our team win every time. I think that's the objective for every quarterback that's playing. For every football player that's playing as well, the objective is ‘how can I help my team win games?'”

“So I would say if you're looking at it in that sense, I would say my performance needs to be better. My performance doesn't reflect me trying to keep my job because that's not the standard I've been playing (to) all these other years.”

Tagovailoa has taken accountability for the Dolphins' offensive deficiencies. Miami has the 27th-ranked total offense in the league, averaging just 291.4 yards and 20 points per game.

“(Improvement) starts with me in my phase of the way I've played in years past,” Tagovailoa said, “and the conviction that I've wanted to play with this year. It helps with a trickle-down effect.”

Just two seasons ago, Tagovailoa threw a career-best 29 touchdowns, was selected to his first Pro Bowl and earned a big payday after staying healthy for a full season.

What's missing this season?

“The conviction aspect,” Tagovailoa said. “The confidence is there, but it's looking back at the film with the way that I've been playing prior and just (saying) ‘What was going on there?’ I just was in the flow state throughout that. And just trying to get back to that and figure that out again.”

It's not the first time in his career that Tagovailoa has faced speculation about his future with the Dolphins. He was heavily criticized his first two seasons in the NFL after not producing at the level expected when Miami drafted him fifth overall in 2020. That scrutiny grew so intense that many believed the Dolphins were ready to move on from him altogether, with widespread reports linking the team to a potential trade for then-Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson.

Tagovailoa's immediate improvement when McDaniel took over as Miami's coach in 2022 quelled those criticisms. He improved as a passer and a leader, which led to his franchise-record $212.4 million, four year extension in 2024.

McDaniel has defended Tagovailoa this season despite his inconsistency and reiterated this week that Tagovailoa will be Miami's starter moving forward.

“There’s 11 players on the field playing every play, and they need him to help make them the best players they can be,” McDaniel said Wednesday. “That’s the power of the quarterback. And focusing on how he addresses his teammates, how he gets the team in and out of the huddle, how convicted he is — those things are the bedrock of his game. And he doesn’t have to do more than that.”

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