The Miami Dolphins continue to struggle through a disappointing 1-5 start, and frustration appears to be spilling over inside the locker room. After their latest loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa made headlines with unusually candid postgame remarks about team accountability.
Tagovailoa admitted that some teammates have been skipping or arriving late to player-only meetings, adding that discipline and leadership need to improve across the board.
“I think it starts with the leadership and helping articulate that for the guys,” Tagovailoa said, via Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network. “We have guys showing up to player-only meetings late, and guys not showing up at all. There’s a lot that goes into that. Do we have to make this mandatory? Do we not? These are the little things that we have to clean up.”
Tagovailoa’s comments sparked plenty of discussion around the NFL, with many wondering if deeper locker-room issues were brewing in Miami. The quarterback’s frustration was understandable after the Dolphins let another winnable game slip away — their second straight loss after blowing late leads in back-to-back weeks.
Against the Chargers, Tagovailoa threw an interception in the final seconds after leading what appeared to be a go-ahead touchdown drive with under a minute left.
On Wednesday, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel addressed the controversy with reporters, as noticed by NBC Sports. Rather than dwell on the story, McDaniel made it clear the team is focused on its next challenge — a road matchup against the Cleveland Browns.
“The first, last, and only thing if I have anything to say about it is the Cleveland Browns,” McDaniel said. “Absolutely, [Tua] communicated with his teammates both in group and individually. There’s much bigger fish to fry in our team’s opinion and my opinion.”
McDaniel’s calm tone stood in sharp contrast to the noise surrounding his quarterback’s remarks. NFL insider James Palmer later reported that some veteran players around the league believe Tagovailoa may have been venting about a specific teammate who has repeatedly shown poor discipline.
Others felt the comments, while honest, might have been better handled privately.
For Tagovailoa, the focus now shifts to restoring unity and consistency in a locker room that’s struggled to close out games. The Dolphins will look to snap their skid when they visit the Browns on Sunday, hoping to shift the conversation back to football instead of internal drama.
