Trevor Lawrence’s former college coach at Clemson University, Dabo Swinney, once said in 2020 that “[Tua] is going to make everyone around him better.” He said that after complimenting him on several qualities and right before saying, “Those are the types of qualities you want in a quarterback.” Swinney’s reference to Tua making everyone better wasn’t about college but about NFL players. Looking back at what Swinney said, did Tua Tagovailoa make everyone around him better last season in 2022?
Some Kansas City Chiefs fans and even some media personalities suggested that Tyreek Hill would have his worst season in Miami last year because Tagovailoa was his quarterback. But Hill had the best season of his NFL career after Tagovailoa became his quarterback. Hill had 231 more receiving yards than his previous career high, with 1,710 yards last season. Also, Hill had a career-high in receiving yards per game, receiving first downs, and receptions. Hill’s receiving yards per game was the first season of Hill’s career, and he averaged over 100 yards per game.
Although Jaylen Waddle was only in his second year, he had a much better season than his record-setting rookie season. As a rookie, with Tagovailoa as his quarterback, Waddle had the most receptions by a rookie in NFL history. Last season, Waddle had the seventh most receiving yards (1356) and led the NFL with an average of 18.1 yards per reception.
Before Trent Sherfield’s one season with the Miami Dolphins, he had played in 61 NFL games. The most receiving yards he ever had before 2022 was 210 yards, which was his rookie season. However, last season, Sherfield had a career-high in receiving yards with 417 and a career-high in receiving yards per game. He also had a career-high of 18, receiving first downs and two touchdowns.
River Cracraft, who had been used primarily in utility roles, had never had more than 44 yards in one season. But in 2022, Cracraft had a career-high of nine receptions for 102 yards.
Some may want to dispute that Tagovailoa didn’t make everyone better around him by suggesting Mike Gesicki had a career-low in receiving yards. However, Gesicki’s career-low in receiving yards is not a result of anything from Tagovailoa. That was a result of head coach Mike McDaniel not utilizing Gesicki properly. McDaniel had even said that he didn’t give him the ball enough and should’ve maximized Gesicki more.
Despite playing in the lowest number of snaps since his rookie season, Gesicki still had five touchdowns and 362 yards in only 52 targets. That was approximately a touchdown for every ten passes thrown to him, which was the highest touchdown-to-target ratio in Gesicki’s career.
Raheem Mostert had a career-high of 891 rushing yards and a career-high of 202 yards receiving. He had career-highs with 11 receiving first downs, 44 rushing first downs, and over 1,000 yards from scrimmage.
Some critical fans may want to argue that some players had career lows, but again that was due to the few amount of snap counts that McDaniel allowed them to play. However, when players were in the game, Tagovailoa made full use of each player.
Call it what you want, but without Tagovailoa in a game last season, the Dolphins were 1-3. And the game that was won without Tagovailoa was the fewest points scored by the Dolphins in the 2022 season with no passing or rushing touchdowns.
Tua’s motivation for the team has been a testament to how he’s also made players around him better. His teammates have bought all in on Tagovailoa, as he was the highest point winner in team captain votes for 2022. Even Tagovailoa’s former college coach, Nick Saban, once said that there hasn’t ever been a better ambassador for the University of Alabama than Tua since he had been the coach there.
You can draw your own conclusions. But the fact is that the Dolphins key players had career seasons last year playing with Tua Tagovailoa as their quarterback. The facts are obvious, and the lack of credit Tagovailoa gets for how players are elevated around him is disappointing.
