Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa admits his confidence took a massive dent under Brian Flores

Tua Tagovailoa revealed that Mike McDaniel saved him from a nervous breakdown under former HC Brian Flores in his first 2 seasons with the team.

Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa admits his confidence took a massive dent under Brian Flores

Tua Tagovailoa admits his confidence took a massive dent under Brian Flores (Image via Imago)

Tua Tagovailoa blossomed into a fine quarterback following the exit of Brian Flores at the Miami Dolphins. The appointment of Mike McDaniel rejuvenated Tua’s numbers, as well as his confidence in himself, which was slowly leaking out under Flores.

Tagovailoa was the special guest on Monday’s edition of Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz, where the hosts asked him to describe his experience under Flores during his first two years in the NFL. It was less than present.

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To put it in simplest terms, if you woke up every morning, and I told you that you su** at what you did, that you don't belong doing what you do, that you shouldn't be here.
Tua Tagovailoa revealed

This revelation from the Alabama graduate does come as a surprise, but it wasn’t that shocking considering Flores’ tenure wasn’t the best period for the Dolphins. In 2020, the Dolphins came in second with a 10-6 record but did not qualify for the playoffs.

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Tagovailoa did not see enough game time as Flores kept playing veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick. Not only that, before Deshaun Watson joined the Browns, he was heavily linked to the Dolphins.

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Mike McDaniel brought the best out of Tua Tagovailoa that Brian Flores couldn’t

After Flores left with a 24-25 record just before the 2022 season started, the Dolphins appointed Mike McDaniel, who was the offensive coordinator under Kyle Shanahan at the San Francisco 49ers. The first task McDaniel completed was making sure Tua was the team’s starting quarterback.

Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa admits his confidence took a massive dent under Brian Flores
Mike McDaniel and Tua Tagovailoa (Image via IMAGO)

His guidance proved to be the pedestal that was required for Tua’s confidence to return. The result was night and day. In his first season, McDaniel led the Dolphins to their first playoff appearance since 2016.

Then you have somebody else [Mike McDaniel] come in and tell you, 'Dude, you are the best fit for this. You are accurate… You are this, you are that.' How would that make you feel, listening to one or the other? [Do] you see what I'm saying?
Tua Tagovailoa said

The Dolphins reached the postseason for the second consecutive year since 1997. Tagovailoa played every game for the first time in his NFL career, which was an achievement in itself. He went 11-6, completed 388 passes, crossed 4500 passing yards, and threw 29 touchdowns, making the Dolphins the best offense in 2023.

The 26-year-old was rewarded for his contributions in the offseason as the Dolphins made him one of the highest-paid players in the league. Tagovailoa signed a mammoth four-year, $212.4 million contract extension ($53 million per year).

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