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Tua Tagovailoa – January 9, 2022 (Postgame)

Sunday, January 9, 2022
Postgame – New England

QB Tua Tagovailoa

Q. Obviously you had the big run to kind of seal things late in the game. And as you kind of heard, I’m not sure you heard the Tua chants, but what was going through your mind I guess in that moment? How do you reflect on this season and how do you perceive this season just given everything that it was for you and having the home crowd kind of behind your back late in that game?
TUA TAGOVAILOA: For me, I don’t think there’s any reflection of the season as far as right now. We just beat a tough team. I mean, really all week that’s what we’ve been harping on is really we want to end this season with a bang. So that’s what we went out there and did. And those runs, they just happened, I guess.

Q. Zero interceptions and you were able to defeat Mac Jones. How did it feel knowing that you got a win against your former college teammate, and you guys play tomorrow night? How did it feel to get that win today?
TUA TAGOVAILOA: I don’t ever look at it as me versus another quarterback or me versus another running back or whatever. It’s always our offense versus their defense. And whatever we’ve got to do put points on the board and give our team opportunities to put points on the board. So I don’t really dive into all of the me versus Mac or any of that. I think Mac did a hell of a job towards the ending of this game. And really towards the beginning of the season he’s grown a lot as a player, watching his game. I couldn’t be more proud of him. I’m happy for him and wish them the best of luck as they go into the playoffs.

Q. Obviously not the season you guys envisioned, not going to the playoffs. But can you just talk about how this team continued to battle? And your teammates said this, how you continued to battle this season, 1-7, rattle off seven wins, then you come in today facing a Patriots team that’s going to the playoffs, and basically pride was just on the line today?
TUA TAGOVAILOA: I think you look at the first half of our season, there were a lot of things that we knew we had to fix. And there were some things that we knew we couldn’t win with as far as executing on all three phases. But just everyone sticking together and believing in one another, I think that’s what’s helped the second half of the season for us.

Q. If I could follow up real quick Jaylen Waddle said that he knew you had that speed and you kept the ball when you went for the first down. He said that shouldn’t surprise anyone that Tua has this speed. On a light note he said that.
TUA TAGOVAILOA: Yeah, that’s great. I mean, at least Jaylen says one good thing about me. (laughter)

Q. Tua, you never addressed the chants. Did you hear them? What did you think? And what has this season been like for you mentally?
TUA TAGOVAILOA: I personally haven’t heard the chants. I don’t know if they were after the runs or whatnot. I personally didn’t hear the chants. Only after the game when I was going through the tunnel, that’s when I heard the chants. But I mean the season has been up and down for me and for a lot of the guys, for our team in general. I’m just so happy that we could end this season off with a win. And we’ll see what the offseason has in plan for us.

Q. You described the ride that this team has been on and how you were able to keep fighting and win once you hit the midseason point. I’m wondering if you could describe a little bit about Head Coach Brian Flores’ role in keeping this team together and directing it the way he did toward the win streak and why you think he’s the right man to help this team take the next step maybe next year.
TUA TAGOVAILOA: I think ‘Flo’ (Brian Flores) has done a great job helping us stay together and not really worry about the outside noise and focus on the outside noise, if you will. It’s just really us being able to spend some time with each other, spend more time with each other and things like that. But I think he’s done a great job helping us get to where we’re at this year. Obviously the first half wasn’t what we wanted or what we expected. But like I said, I’m very pleased with how we finished this season off.

Q. Obviously a historic day for your college teammate. What was it like being a part of that season for him?
TUA TAGOVAILOA: That was amazing. Pretty much the first three plays went to him. (laughter) So we got that out of the way quick. And then I was actually very happy that we ended that drive with a touchdown for him. So that was really cool.

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