Tua Tagovailoa admitted Thursday that he hasn’t played up to his usual standard so far in the 2025 season, but he also snapped back at the haters who have come out in full force after the Miami Dolphins‘ 0-3 start.
In a press conference, Tagovailoa specifically called out former NFL MVP Cam Newton, who has had some pointed criticisms of the Dolphins quarterback.
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“I want to see anybody on the streets come and play quarterback,” Tagovailoa said. “Cam (Newton) 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.”
Last week, a day after the Dolphins’ 31-21 loss to the Buffalo Bills, Newton said that the team should be getting better play out of a quarterback making an average of $53.1 million per year on his 2024 extension.
“Tua Tagovailoa is making more than Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, Lamar Jackson, Jaylen Hurts, Baker Mayfield, Matthew Stafford, Jayden Daniels,” Newton said on ESPN’s First Take. “Am I pocket watching? No, no, no, no. I’m putting things into perspective here. What did Biggie say? More money, more problems. Well, in this case, it should be more money, more expectations.
“What you’re being paid, what you’re asked to do, what you have the capability of — from one quarterback to another — I look at a situation, it’s like, bro, come on, dog. Especially when you got a Ferrari and a Lamborghini and other amenities that some quarterbacks wish they had.”
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Through the first three weeks of the season, Cincinnati Bengals backup-turned-starter-by-necessity Jake Browning is the only passer in the NFL with more interceptions than Tagovailoa. And just three starting quarterbacks have a worse Total QBR: the recently benched Russell Wilson, and brand new starters J.J. McCarthy and Cam Ward.
The Dolphins, as a whole, rank No. 25 in points scored and No. 23 in offensive yardage.
“I haven’t played anywhere near the standard that I’ve played in years past knowing the standard that I can play to,” Tagovailoa said Thursday. “It starts with me with the offense getting our guys going and then the defense being able to feed off of that as well. I wouldn’t say I’ve been playing my best football yet.”
Newton, 36, played 11 seasons in the NFL and earned three Pro Bowl nods as well as MVP honors in 2015. He retired with 32,382 passing yards, 194 passing touchdowns, 123 interceptions, and 5,628 rushing yards. His 75 career rushing touchdowns are an NFL record for the quarterback position.
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Tagovailoa and Newton faced each other twice as starters with the Dolphins winning both matchups.
This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa claps back at Cam Newton for criticisms
