Miami Dolphins star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has reportedly hired a personal quarterbacks coach prior to the start of the 2024 NFL season.
“While at the NFL Scouting Combine, I discovered that Tua has finally hired a personal quarterbacks coach,” Damian Parson wrote. “This was an interesting development to find out. He has not relied on a true offseason QB coach/trainer as most NFL QBs do.”
Parson noted that the lion’s share of NFL quarterbacks work with personal quarterbacks coaches in the offseason.
“One thing about the Dolphins’ star QB is, that he keeps a tight-knit,” Parson wrote. “He has relied on his trainer Nick Hicks to improve his strength and physical build. The issue is, Hicks does not specialize in QB coaching that will improve throwing mechanics, footwork, etc.
“Most star quarterbacks and even non-stars, employ a personal off-season QB coach/trainer. Well until 2024, Tua did not. This can improve his game and push him forward. Like, correcting slight overextension with his lead foot, and shortening his throwing motion to activate more of his arm without drawing back as far to generate force.”
Tagovailoa is fresh off arguably the best season of his NFL career so far. He didn’t sit out a single game for the Dolphins during the 2023 regular season and led the league in passing yards with 4,624. Additionally, he accumulated 29 passing touchdowns and 222 first downs passing, and his longest completion was for 78 yards.
The quarterback finished fifth in the 2023 NFL AP Comeback Player of the Year voting, behind only Joe Flacco of the Cleveland Browns, Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills, Baker Mayfield of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Matthew Stafford of the Los Angeles Rams.
The 26-year-old also earned the first Pro Bowl nod of his NFL career.
Tagovailoa was able to parlay his individual success into collective success for the Dolphins in the regular season. Miami ended up with an 11-6 regular-season record, though the Dolphins failed to clinch the AFC East division title. The Bills clinched the division despite having the same record as Miami because they won both matchups against the Dolphins in the regular season.
Despite failing to win their division, the Dolphins still squeaked into the playoffs. But Miami lost its playoff game to quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs by a final score of 26-7. Tagovailoa arguably had one of his worst performances of the season in the defeat.
He ended up with 199 passing yards and one passing touchdown compared to one interception. To add insult to injury, Tagovailoa completed only 20 of his 39 pass attempts.
Perhaps Tagovailoa’s decision to employ a personal quarterbacks coach this offseason will prove to be exactly what he needs in order to perform at a higher level in the playoffs moving forward.