Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins’ offense saw tremendous improvement in 2022 under first-year head coach Mike McDaniel. Tua put up career highs in touchdowns, and the team ranked top 10 in yardage for the first time this millennium. Presuming Tua does not have the unfortunate luck he had this past season with injuries: history points to Tua and the Dolphins improving on these numbers in 2023. 

McDaniel comes from the Shanahan coaching tree that most recently includes: himself, Matt LaFleur, Sean McVay, Zac Taylor, and of course, Mike and Kyle Shanahan. The Shanahan coaching tree is famous for its offensive system and, more importantly, quarterbacks’ success while playing under the system. Several quarterbacks have had career years in this system: Aaron Rodgers, Kirk Cousins, Jared Goff, Jimmy Garapolo, Matt Schaub, Matt Ryan, Phillip Rivers, and John Elway. Obviously, some of these names are hall-of-fame caliber players. Still, each of these quarterbacks has arguably had the best season of their respective careers playing in the Shanahan system. In this case, however, we will be looking at their second season in the system and the success they had. 

Aaron Rodgers most recently played for the longtime friend and colleague of Kyle Shanahan, Matt LaFleur, for the past four seasons and won two MVPs while doing so. Obviously, this has to be taken with a grain of salt because it is Aaron Rodgers, but Rodgers’ second season in the Shanahan system was arguably the best season of his career. Rodgers led the league in several categories: touchdowns (48), completion percentage (70.7%), rating (121.5), and QBR (79.8). He also passed for 4299 yards and threw a mere five interceptions as he won 13 games and the first of his two MVPs won under LaFleur. 

John Elway is a unique example here because he played for the patriarch of the system, Mike Shanahan, on two separate occasions. Shanahan was Elway’s offensive coordinator for a few years in the 1980s. In 1986, in Shanahan’s second season as offensive coordinator, Elway didn’t post eye-popping numbers, but the Broncos went 11-5 as he passed for 3485 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions and made the Pro Bowl that year. Shanahan would later become the Broncos’ head coach in the twilight of Elway’s career, and in his second season as head coach, Elway would put together one of the best seasons of his career. Elway would tie his career high in passing touchdowns (26) at that point in time, pass for 3328, have a rating of 89.2, and finish second in MVP voting as the Broncos finished the season 13-2 in games started by Elway. 

Matt Ryan undoubtedly had the best season of his career in Kyle Shanahan’s second season as offensive coordinator for Atlanta. Matt Ryan would win MVP and post career highs across the board. Ryan would throw for 4944 yards and 38 touchdowns with a rating of 117.1 that led the league. 2016 is also tied for the least amount of interceptions Matt Ryan has thrown in a season. The Falcons would go 11-5 and infamously go on to blow a 28-3 lead in the Super Bowl that season. 

Phillip Rivers is another hall-of-fame quarterback that would have success in the Shanahan system under Head Coach Anthony Lynn. In Lynn’s second season as head coach, Rivers would have one of the most efficient seasons of his career as the Chargers won 12 games. Though he did not lead the league in any categories, Rivers would throw for 4308 yards and post a touchdown/interception ratio of 32/12 ratio as he tied his career high in quarterback rating and made the Pro Bowl. 

Jared Goff is a tremendous comparison for Tua, in my opinion, as they both entered last season looking to prove their doubters wrong, and both did so. Sean McVay was famously brought in to get the most out of the former first-overall pick after the Rams offense sputtered in Goff’s first season under Jeff Fisher. Under McVay, Goff would see immediate success, and his second season with the offensive guru has undoubtedly been the best of his career thus far. Posting career highs across the board, Goff would pass for 4688 yards, 32 touchdowns, and post a rating of 101.1 as he led the Rams to a 13-3 record and a Super Bowl appearance. 

Jimmy G is an interesting case compared to all of these other quarterbacks, as his first two seasons with the 49ers were riddled with injury, so in his case, we’ll look at his 2019 campaign, which was his first full season within the Shanahan system after getting traded there midseason in 2017. 2019 is, without a doubt, the best year of his career; the 49ers would finish with a 13-3 record and come up just short in the Super Bowl, while Garoppolo would post career highs in yards (3978), touchdown passes (27), completion percentage (69.1%), and quarterback rating (102). 

Matt Schaub is definitely a name that stands out on this list of quarterbacks, but with Kyle Shanahan as his offensive coordinator, Schaub would have the best season of his career in his second season under Shanahan. The Texans would finish a so-so 9-7, but Schaub led the league with 4770 passing yards and posted career highs in touchdowns(29), rating(98.6), and QBR (72.9). Schaub would also make the Pro Bowl in 2009. 

Kirk Cousins coincidentally is about to embark on his second season under McVay disciple Kevin O’Connell this upcoming season. Still, in this case, we can also look at his second season as the starter for Washington back in 2016. Cousins would throw for a career-high in yards with 4917 yards while throwing 25 touchdowns and posting a rating of 97.2 as Washington finished the season 8-7-1, and Cousins would make his first career Pro Bowl appearance. 

Obviously, this does not guarantee Tua to have an incredible MVP-caliber season, but with the weapons, he and McDaniel have to work with, do not be surprised if Tua has one of the best years of his career next season.  Tua has improved his game each offseason so it is only fair to assume he will do the same again this offseason, and with history on their side, big things could be on the horizon for Tua and the Dolphins.Â