The Miami Dolphins jockeyed between their two quarterbacks throughout 2020.
Ryan Fitzpatrick and Tua Tagovailoa supported each other and the Dolphins on their way to a 10-6 record.
Both were inconsistent at times in 2020 which resulted in the tag teaming quarterback effort.
Many wonder if Tua will have a successful NFL career.
Before we list three reasons why Tua could fail in the NFL, let’s look at his and Fitzpatrick’s numbers.
Miami Dolphins Quarterback Statistics – 2020
Tua started 9 games and went 6-3.
He threw for 1,814 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions.
Fitzpatrick was 4-3 in the 7 games he started.
Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 2,091 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions.
Fitzpatrick also pulled out one of his signature “Fitzmagic” come-from-behind wins over the Las Vegas Raiders after Tua was benched.
By: Kevin Le
With nineteen seconds left in regulation, the Las Vegas Raiders lead 25-23 over the Miami Dolphins, but then came Fitzpatrick. Ryan Fitzpatrick came in for a struggling Tua Tagovailoa in the fourth quarter and came out with a 26-25 win. https://t.co/K0FQzx4fhN pic.twitter.com/Cny6tpBtuB— Nuts & Bolts Sports (@NutsAndBoltsSP) December 28, 2020
3 Reasons Tua Could Fail
Colin Cowherd summarizes Tua’s shortcomings which could lead to his career falling below expectations.
They are as follows:
1. Size
Tua’s height is listed as 6′ tall.
Most of the league’s greatest quarterbacks are over 6′ 2″ tall.
Size is important in the NFL.
The ability to see over the big offensive linemen and the defenders is necessary.
Shorter quarterbacks throw more interceptions because of their limited vision.
2. Speed
Not every quarterback is fast, that is a fact.
Tom Brady is a perfect example.
However, a smaller quarterback will have to compensate for his lack of size with foot speed.
Two of the shorter statured quarterbacks in the league right now are among the quickest.
They are Russell Wilson and Kyler Murray.
Tua’s speed is not in the same class as Wilson or Murray.
3. Arm Strength
Generally, bigger guys have bigger arms and more strength to hurl the ball down the field further and faster.
Tua’s arm strength is questionable at this point.
Exceptions
Of course, there are exceptions to every rule.
Tua is just finishing his first NFL season so he could develop skills to offset these weaknesses.
Could he become a Drew Brees?
It is possible, but he does encounter more obstacles than Justin Herbert who possesses all three of the aforementioned elements.
Dolphins Are Committed To Tua
For the record, Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores had Tua’s back even after benching him during the pivotal Las Vegas Raiders game.
Flores talked about Tua’s impact on the team.
“Tua has brought us a spark in a lot of other games. I think people will just forget that because we just remember the last thing. Speculation on whatever people want to speculate about as far as what we should or shouldn’t do based on last night, I wouldn’t do that and forget the body of work over the course of the season to include the last however many games Tua has been starting [eight]. I think he’s played fairly well…People may disagree, but I think we would have to agree to disagree in that instance. That’s my take on that. It’s not based off one game or one quarter — there’s a lot of practices that people don’t see, walk-throughs that no one sees. But everyone wants to make a judgment and try to make a decision for us on what we should do without all that information.”
Tua also is projected to be the Dolphins starting quarterback in 2021.
NEXT: 3 Biggest Draft Needs For The Miami Dolphins In 2021
