The Miami Dolphins have started the season 0-3, and criticism for the quarterback, head coach and general manager have come.
Tua Tagovailoa has heard his faire share of criticism after a primetime Week 3 loss to the Buffalo Bills in which he, despite an okay performance, threw a horrible fourth-quarter interception that cost the Dolphins the game.
One prominent critic seemed to draw Tagovailoa’s ire. Former NFL MVP-turned-pundit Cam Newton, during an appearance on ESPN’s First Take, said that Tagovailoa was not meeting expectations relative to how much he’s paid—the Dolphins signal-caller is the sixth-highest paid QB in terms of average annual salary.
“Well, anybody can play quarterback in this league then,” Tagovailoa said. “I want to see anybody on the streets come and play quarterback. Cam is doing his thing for sure, but I think it’s easier to be able to hold a clicker and talk about it that way or talk about what someone else is doing wrong when you’re not going out and having to do the same as them.
“I think it’s easy to do that. I think anybody can do that. I don’t think anybody can play quarterback.”
Here’s the clip:
Tagovailoa has completed a healthy 69.7% of his passes and is tied for fourth in the NFL with five touchdown passes, but has thrown four interceptions. Just two years removed from leading the NFL in passing yards, he’s averaging 191.7 passing yards per game, his lowest output since his rookie season.
Tagovailoa and the Dolphins will look to get the club’s first win of the season against the also-winless Jets in Week 4 on Monday night.
