Disappointing Conclusion: Miami Dolphins’ Playoff Exit Raises Questions About Tua Tagovailoa’s Future

The Miami Dolphins, once considered Super Bowl contenders, faced a season turning into uncertainty, especially regarding quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. This was evident as they were thwarted by the Kansas City Chiefs in a freezing-cold Arrowhead, resulting in a 26-7 Wild Card defeat. As the temperatures dropped in Kansas City, so did the effectiveness of the Tagovailoa-led offense, which had posed a constant threat to opponents with its speed and creativity throughout much of the season.

Tagovailoa, who topped the NFL in regular-season passing yards, faced challenges against the formidable Chiefs defense led by Steve Spagnuolo. He concluded the game with a 20-of-39 completion rate, amassing 199 yards, including a 53-yard touchdown pass to Tyreek Hill, and registering one interception.

The ex-fifth overall draft pick is now embarking on the last year of his rookie contract. While Mike McDaniel has customized his offense to suit the 25-year-old, the conclusion of Miami’s season, marked by disappointment, provides an intriguing topic for discussion as they plan their strategies for the upcoming 2024 season.

“I do think they will pay him, but I still don’t think he is enough,” said Sky Sports NFL’s Phoebe Schecter. “You look at some of the other quarterbacks in the league and even just in that division, you look at Tua compared to Josh Allen and Aaron Rodgers and there’s no comparison.

“Really when you build these teams you have to be looking to beat those guys and looking to draft somebody to beat a Patrick Mahomes and Tua has never been there.

“Once you’re off his first read you are kind of stuck and he doesn’t have the mobility of other quarterbacks.”

Miami’s offensive output experienced a decline in the last three games of the season, culminating in a challenging 56-19 loss to the Baltimore Ravens and a subsequent 21-14 defeat to the Buffalo Bills, ultimately costing them the AFC East division title.

While notable injuries to key pass rushers Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb impeded their late-season push, a critical aspect often highlighted against Tagovailoa was his 1-5 record against playoff-bound teams, extending to 1-6 after Saturday’s elimination.

Despite these challenges, Tagovailoa remains steadfast in his confidence regarding his capability to lead the Dolphins into the future.

“I don’t feel any pressure at all. I have full trust in myself,” said Tagovailoa post-game. “I have full trust in what I’m capable of doing for our organisation, but outside of that we’re focusing on tonight and what happened, we’re going to simmer on this and see what we can do to get better from it.”

Head coach McDaniel of the Dolphins took on a significant portion of the responsibility for a challenging night, witnessing the NFL’s top receiver, Hill, being held to a mere 62 yards, coupled with a modest 76 yards gained on the ground for one of the league’s usually potent rushing attacks.

This narrative echoed the storyline from Miami’s previous 21-14 defeat to the Chiefs in Frankfurt, highlighting a missed opportunity to capitalize on a struggling Kansas City offense.

“I know he (Tagovailoa) made some good plays tonight,” McDaniel said. “I know there’s plays that he wants to have back, and there’s some calls that I made that I liked and there was definitely some that I want to have back, and I think that goes across the board.

“There was a lot of really good things and we’ve all learned to have high expectations for that unit, and seven points isn’t good enough.

“We’ll have to live with that and learn from that as we try to take another step.”

Having appeared formidable and on the rise under Coach McDaniel for a significant portion of the season, the Dolphins now confront a hurdle in their quest to join the ranks of elite contenders.

“I think that’s what they’ll run with, that they obviously had a ton of injuries and started off hot and were able to move forward,” said Sky Sports NFL’s Ndamukong Suh. “But as an elite team you build depth and have opportunities for guys to step up and they didn’t do that in this instance.

“I think they took a step back, because they made it to the playoffs, and if you are happy with that then there is something wrong.”