I am a
member of several Dolphin fan groups on Facebook, and as we head into the 2018
season, few topics can stir up Dolphin nation like QB Ryan Tannehill. 
These days it seems that there are only two types of fans – Tannehill lovers
and Tannehill haters. Social media discussions escalate into mudslinging, name
calling, insult throwing cyber altercations that at times, it appears imminent
that fan civil war is about to erupt.   Fan group administrators have
had to step in and threaten expulsion to the overzealous.   Some fans
accuse other fans of being undercover Jets spies sent to spread sedition and
create mayhem.  Ouch.

Given
that he missed the entire 2017 season due to injury, I’m surprised that
Tannehill is such a button-pushing subject.  That’s strange for the out
sight, out of mind NFL.  Tannehill was enjoying his best season in 2016
(some may say that’s not saying much) when Calais Campbell’s low hit took out
his knee.   He reinjured the same knee during the following training
camp thus ushering the desperate and failed Jay Cutler experiment. Frustrated
fans watched the team fall to 6-10 and many spewed their ire at Tannehill, as
if blaming him for Cutler’s and Matt Moore’s shoddy play.  I saw some
Facebook posts scorning him for having the audacity for getting injured to
begin with.  

Common
argument igniting fodder include:

  • Being the most
    sacked QB in the league – his fault or the offensive line?
  • Statistically,
    Tannehill is only behind our beloved Dan Marino and Peyton Manning in NFL
    history for most passing yards in the first four years –Yay! 
    Resulting in mediocre records and zero playoff wins – Boo! 
  • Quarterbacks are
    supposed to carry their teams (visions of Dan the Man).  Quarterbacks
    can’t win championships by themselves (visions of Dan the Man). 
You get
the picture. The scales don’t particularly lean one way or the other. It’s a
stalemate and both lovers and haters are digging in. Battle lines are drawn.
Perhaps the 2018 season will finally answer the great “To Tannehill or not to
Tannehill. That is the question” debate.  What if Tannehill has a banner
year but the Dolphins fall short of the playoffs?  What if the Dolphins
make a deep run in the playoffs and he has an ok year. What if during the ups
and downs of the season the scales don’t end up moving at all?  It’s just
going to make a heated debate even hotter and see more fan versus fan
hostilities.