Tua Tagovailoa – September 8, 2024 (Postgame)
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Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024
Postgame – Jacksonville
Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa
Q: Can you talk about the resiliency of your team after being down 14 and being able to pull this out?
TUA TAGOVAILOA: I think it tells you early on a lot about our team and a lot of what we’ve tried to ingrain in each other with the relationships we’ve been building off the field, on the field. It’s collectively I got your back, you got our back. We’re not shying away from what we know is true. We’re down 14. That’s what it is. What are we going to do? Nobody can change that but us. We went through a lot of adversity, but good teams find ways to win, even if it looks not as good. So there’s a lot of things we need to clean up, but happy we came out with the win.
Q: You mentioned adversity. Part of it was what happened pregame. When did you become aware that WR Tyreek Hill had been involved in an issue pregame and how did you handle that conversation or handle that?
TUA TAGOVAILOA: I found out from a couple guys. I didn’t know that it happened. I went up to ask Tyreek. Tyreek told me his story. Now I’m always going to support my teammate. I’m always going to support my teammate. From what he told me, I only know that side of the story, I don’t know the other side. But I’m always going to support him. I’m going to have his back. It was just an unfortunate deal that happened today.
Q: The touchdown to WR Tyreek Hill, was WR Jaylen Waddle the first read? It looked like you looked his direction.
TUA TAGOVAILOA: Yeah, Waddle was the first read.
Q: Can you go through the progression on that?
TUA TAGOVAILOA: (Jaylen) Waddle was the first read. I saw space. There was nobody over there and I knew Tyreek was coming into my vision. I skipped my first read basically – probably. I may get in trouble for that. (laughter)
Q: Was there a sense that the team was rallying around WR Tyreek Hill after what happened?
TUA TAGOVAILOA: I would say they were rallying off the fans, if you will. Jaylen Waddle had a deep one and the fans kind of ignited, then we got stopped. Then when Tyreek did his deal, as you guys all know, we could hear how loud the crowd was for the opposing offensive team’s possession. But I think from then on, we found something. Collectively, we’re going to go watch this film tomorrow. We’re going to learn from it and see how we can not be as sluggish. We should start fast. We’ve got some other good teams we’re about to play. We can’t be doing things like that.
Q: Sometimes the halftime adjustments … it seemed like you were doing different things in the second half. What did you learn from the first half that you were able to fix in the second?
TUA TAGOVAILOA: There’s a lot of minutiae for a lot of us because there’s a lot of personnels that guys have to hear, who’s who, who’s what, who’s where. It’s just calling it fast and then they got to go out and line up, and we only have about 10 seconds to do all those motions. It’s a lot of that that we kind of collectively came to. I kind of addressed it to the entire offense with the coaches included. They were all included with that, with the personnel, getting the guys out, who’s who, who’s what. We’re all calling it the same way; we’re all hearing it the same way.
Q: The turnaround with the fumble in the end zone, is that a perfect opportunity to strike, when you have a team a little down because they should have had seven?
TUA TAGOVAILOA: Anytime we get the ball, that’s always the perfect opportunity for our team. Every time we’re out there, that’s what we’re looking to do. We’re looking to put points on the board, whether it’s six points, whether it’s three points. Any way we can end a series with points.
Q: How would you describe the importance of the S Jevón Holland play?
TUA TAGOVAILOA: That was very important. That was very important. I would say that was a huge momentum swing. Whether we got points off of that or not, it was just the feel of it with the fans, with our guys on the sideline, it was a big swing.
Q: What did you like from RB De’Von Achane? He tied WR Tyreek Hill for leader in receptions.
TUA TAGOVAILOA: He did?
Q: Yes.
TUA TAGOVAILOA: It tells you a lot right there. He tied Tyreek in receptions today. Very versatile. We put him out there at receiver, we bring him in as a back. We move him around a lot. He does a really good job. That tells you a lot about his IQ as well, knowing the personnels and plays at different positions. It’s all deserving. It’s not a surprise to me.
Q: Last year you guys had some games where when you got down, you weren’t able to get back into it. You got punched in the mouth early today. What can you say about the resilience of this team that you were able to take a hit and come back?
TUA TAGOVAILOA: Yeah, I mean the game is never over until it is. That was the first two quarters. It sort of trickled into the third quarter a little bit. We regrouped. We found something. We found a way to win it, although it didn’t look as pretty.
Q: It is just one win and they all count the same in the end, but is there a mental significance to starting 1-0 as opposed to the alternative?
TUA TAGOVAILOA: Yeah, I think it’s a morale booster for the team because it’s a new team. There’s a lot of new guys, a lot of new fits with what we’ve got guys doing on the defense. We’re in our third year in this offense. We’re trying to see what else or what better we can do with this offense and whatnot. I would definitely say it’s a big morale booster.
Q: You used the term ‘sluggish’ earlier.
TUA TAGOVAILOA: Yeah.
Q: Was it timing? Can you pinpoint what that was?
TUA TAGOVAILOA: I think collectively as a group offensively, it was just one of those deals where we just needed to get our head out of our ass. That was it. It was, ‘okay, yeah, we’re going to come out here, it’s hot, these dudes are probably going to give up a little bit.’ No, we got punched in the mouth. That’s what you get. How are you going to respond?
Q: Can you touch on the fourth-and-8 on the first drive as well the fourth down on the fourth drive, trying to clean that up and trying to establish those long drives?
TUA TAGOVAILOA: Well, that’s what we got film for, to clean all of that up. But I think that tells you a lot about the confidence that Mike (McDaniel) has with us going out there. ‘Ok, it’s fourth down and we’re basically at the 50. Like, I trust you guys, but I also trust the defense, that the defense is going to be able to hold them, as well.’ That’s what we did in the second half. They scored zero points in the second half. That was an unbelievable job by the defense.
Q: What were your thoughts on the offensive line as the game progressed leading up to that final drive?
TUA TAGOVAILOA: I think they did a great job. Yeah, some things are going to happen where, ‘Okay, I slipped, I do this, I do that.’ I move into a pressure. That all happens. So you just got to continue to play. The game’s never over until it is. That’s sort of the mentality for everyone. Like, yeah, you’re going to have a bad play at least once. Those guys are good as well. We’ll just continue to keep going until it’s done. When it’s done, we can all talk about it and move forward from there.
