This was Grier’s first meeting with the media all season despite the team’s losing record and high criticism of the Dolphins 1st-round players that have not been performing up to their draft status.
And oh, what an explanation Grier gave to the media and Dolphins Nation. It was masterful. But I’m not buying it.
He basically stated that the team was just doing their due diligence to check up on Watson’s situation but stated the franchise is very happy with current starter Tua.
“If there is player there considered one of the top players in the NFL, you have to look at it and try to go for it.”
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I won’t deny that Grier doing his due diligence on players isn’t the right thing. Of course, if a top 10 quarterback is out there, and you aren’t sold on what you currently have, you have to check out that opportunity.
But he should know that handling the quarterback situation — especially when he already has drafted a young one with his own No. 5 overall pick just a year ago, and now he is flirting with another — is a delicate situation.
It invites controversy, heavy criticism, and a distraction to your team— all of which have continued since the offseason and midway through the regular season, and it’s has just been building ever since. Every new detail that has been reported regarding this story just adds to the pile of pressure this franchise must endure.
And he probably does know better. He’s smart enough.
Just like head coach Brian Flores and Stephen Ross are smart enough.
But it’s all hogwash.
“It has nothing to do with not believing in Tua [Tagovailoa]. We’re very happy with Tua.”
That is a lie.
Because it has everything to do with the organization not believing in Tua, because of the Miami Dolphins front office believed in Tua, then they wouldn’t be exploring options for another franchise quarterback.
It wasn’t just “checking in.” It wasn’t just the front office doing their “due diligence.” It wasn’t just looking for a backup quarterback.
It was looking to find a replacement for the franchise’s current starter. A starting quarterback that is only 14 starts into his career.
The Dolphins were trying to acquire Watson. And anyone who thinks otherwise is just in denial. At least Grier had the guts to admit his organization explored the idea of trading for the Houston Texan.
Grier’s statement on the franchise being “happy with Tua” is hogwash as well.
If the Dolphins are so happy with Tua, then why did they have heavy conversations with the Texans regarding a Top-10 quarterback in Watson who is elitely talented?
How come Brian Flores never shot down the Watson rumors? And instead, danced around them and allowed that window to stay open?
Why was a trade (which involves the Dolphins possibly surrendering three 1st-round picks) between both team’s reportedly agreed to and sourced by many trusted local and national media members, including John McClain, Armando Salguero, Adam Schefter, Barry Jackson?
Why did owner Stephen Ross have to get permission from the Texans in order to speak with Watson? Does Ross try to speak to every player the team inquires upon? I would say not.
Why did the Dolphins goes through all these lengths to get close to Watson, if they are so happy with Tua?
TRUTH: Because the Dolphins aren’t happy with Tua. And if it wasn’t for Watson’s legal situation, Watson would’ve been a member of the Miami Dolphins by 4 p.m. on Tuesday.
But because the trade didn’t happen, the Dolphins are coming out one day later to cover up and express their “full” commitment to Tua. Essentially, making him a lame-duck QB for the remainder of his tenure as a Miami Dolphin.
And I have seen this story before. Because Stephen Ross similarly embarrassed one of his head coaches in a public fashion back in the 2011 offseason, when he was flirting with a Stanford head coach.
But the story got out, and the media caught wind. And to save face, Ross held a press conference with Ireland and Sporano present. And claimed that he met with Harbaugh only to give him advice on whether he should stay at Stanford with star quarterback Andrew Luck, or take an NFL head coaching job.
Everyone could tell Sporano was pissed to have his owner sneaking behind his back to find his replacement. Sparano was also hurt by the betrayal of Ireland of whom he worked with during his Dallas Cowboy days prior to their hiring in Miami.
The Dolphins tried to overcome this public embarrassment by giving Sporano a contract extension, but the PR damage was already done. It made Sporano look like a lame-duck coach, and it caused Sporano to lose the locker room.
The Dolphins started the 2011 season 0-7 and fired Sporano before the season’s end.
The 2021 Miami Dolphins are on a 7-game losing streak.
Does anyone see a picture here?
The Miami Dolphins are doing the same thing to Tua Tagovailoa that they did to Sporano. And Tua could very well be sharing the same fate as Sporano once Watson’s legal situation is cleared up during the 2022 offseason.
Or perhaps Tua becomes to feel so embarrassed and unwanted by this organization that he wants to be traded elsewhere. After all, why would he want to play for an organization that obviously wants somebody else? The team hasn’t given him anything on the field to work with, aside from a talented wide-receiver core that is so brittle that it still hasn’t played a single game together.
This scenario definitely damaged Tua’s relationship with the Dolphins even more.
And whether it’s Ross, Grier, or Flores (or all three) initiating the move for Watson. We’ve at least learned for sure that Ross doesn’t learn from his mistakes at doing business.
He only repeats them.
How ignorant are you? Do you seriously believe the owner of a team can just call a player on another team? Please stop writing about football. But you are correct in calling them out for lying and their intentions.
Your right, owners want a winning team for money and business, it’s the coaching staff that needs to step up. As a owner if your team is mediocre, I would myself step in and cut them all off and make all decisions, but as for owners calling players, I don’t think so, they hire people for that.
The truth is noone knows what or who of the Miami Dolphins, fact is Tia is a talented third or second string, his abilities are not of a NFL QB. Great kid but will never have a break out game or season unlike the person Miami didn’t chose, in which the Chargers are going places cause someone in Miami passed up a talented QB for Tua, injury plagued and I’m sorry not talented enough for the NFL. You could give him a Jerry Rice and Irving Fryer and a Barry Sanders and Tua would still perform mediocre. Someone needs to step up and say what everyone sees and go for Watson. A proven and talented QB, yea he has his troubles but name a player that hasn’t or has not been caught. Who are we to judge, Watson has proven his skill and for names sake why is this man sitting in a bench. Miami personnel need to get together and be about it and stop letting the media tell stories, control your destiny Miami. Performance reflects leadership, and Miami is not performing. A good group of players that re lol playing mediocre as their leader. If not Watson then bench Tua and make him earn his privilege in Miami, stop babying him into thinking he is the future. All the greats are great cause they performed and proved their worth. These new players now a days just hope to get drafted top so they have it easy, make him earn it (Tua) and his mediocre performance is ok, but not good enough to lead. What I’m saying is Miami stop lying and beating around the bush. Let the world know what your doing instead of letting stories being made up. If you want Watson then say it, and so what if Tia gets hurt, you have to earn your stripes, and everyone that was passed up for Tua or drafted with him have already proven themselves to be NFL elite, and Miami is still nursing Tua just cause someone made a mistake in picking him #5. Bad choice get over it and move on. If Tua is about it, then he will have to do something quickly and swiftly, especially if he wants to have any job in football. The way he has performed may have a few teams interested in him as a back up and that’s the truth.