Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa not worried about critics: ‘I don’t know any of those guys’

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is entering his third NFL season after being drafted fifth overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, and the pressure has never been greater.

With the addition of wide receiver Tyreek Hill in the offseason, and the Dolphins missing the playoffs for the second consecutive year since drafting Tagovailoa, expectations are high for the Alabama product.

The questions around Tagovailoa’s potential have swirled since he entered the league, but he doesn’t seem too concerned about the doubters. 

“I don’t know any of those guys,” Tagovailoa said Wednesday at Miami’s training camp. “So, if that’s what they have to say, then good for them. That’s probably a good thing for them to say. They draw people for clickbait or whatever that is. To me, if I can’t hear you, then you’re not that important to me. If you’re in my circle and I can hear you, what you’re saying, then obviously you’ve got to be extremely important to me. So, if I can’t hear it, then it’s probably not important.”

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Miami is entering this season under first-year head coach Mike McDaniel, who came over from the San Francisco 49ers as an offensive coordinator. 

On Monday, the newly acquired Hill praised Tagovailoa, comparing him to his former quarterback in Kansas City, Patrick Mahomes. 

“I just feel like a lot of people haven’t seen young Tua’s full potential,” Hill said, adding that Tagovailoa has big-game experience from playing college football at Alabama. “I’ve had a chance to play with him, practice with him at practice and see his confidence. I’ve had a chance to golf with him — good guy, obviously. 

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“I see a lot of similarities when I look at him and when I see Patrick (Mahomes). He’s definitely on to something.”

Tagovailoa threw for 2,653 yards and 16 touchdowns in 13 games during the 2021 season. He also threw 10 interceptions as the Dolphins failed to reach the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season.

Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report