Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa 'A Good Player but a Lot Like Kirk Cousins,' AFC Exec Says

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has shown flashes of brilliance throughout his three-year NFL career, but he's yet to prove himself as a franchise QB in some eyes.

One AFC executive offered a candid assessment of Tagovailoa to ESPN's Elizabeth Merrill and Marcel Louis-Jacques, saying he's only as good as the team around him.

"The Dolphins are in a tough spot, because he's a good player but a lot like Kirk Cousins," the executive said. "If you give him good football players, he's going to be productive. If you ask him to go win a game and put a team on his back, that's asking a lot."

Tagovailoa has had a rocky 2022 season largely due to his health concerns. He is in concussion protocol for the second time this year as Miami prepares for Sunday's AFC Wild Card Game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium.

Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel told reporters Monday that the 24-year-old has not been cleared for football activity, though he added that the team was hopeful to gain more clarity regarding his status by Wednesday.

When healthy, Tagovailoa looked like a potential MVP candidate this season. In his 13 appearances, he threw for career highs of 3,548 yards and 25 touchdowns with just eight interceptions. His potent connection with Dolphins wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle made for a prolific offense that thrived when he was under center.

The AFC executive feels like Tagovailoa's medical history raises questions about his long-term future in the NFL. During his college career at Alabama, he had suffered a concussion, a broken nose and a dislocated right hip with a fracture of the posterior wall.

"You can't tie the money to a player you're not sure can stay healthy," the executive said. "If he didn't have the medical history, maybe you think harder about doing something. The concussion dynamic is harder to figure out since I'm not sure his medical on that."

The Dolphins have until May to decide whether to exercise the fifth-year option on Tagovailoa's contract. Until he proves he can stay healthy for a whole season, questions will remain about his ability to be Miami's quarterback of the future.