What kind of chips are you eating?
Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa / Megan Briggs/GettyImages
Fans are starting to call Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa “Salty Tua” since his return from his most recent concussion. His attitude towards the media has been a lot more flippant at times, and he is about done hearing about his health. Now, he has taken a little of that swagger and jabbed back at some recent criticism.
The Dolphins quarterback played his first game in five weeks this past Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, and there were some snap issues. Overall, Miami center Aaron Brewer has done a good job this year. But on Sunday, the snap issues were again a problem, and one of the bad ones led to a safety that gave the Cardinals the opening they needed to complete a comeback.
On Wednesday, Tagovailoa talked with the media and was asked bout the snap issues. He took responsibility for them, saying that it wasn’t just on Brewer, and then he took a swipe at those who criticized the issues.
“I’m just saying to give perspective, it’s not as easy as what it looked like sitting down on your couch eating chips.”
The full context of the reply doesn’t really make a lot of sense honestly.
Tagovailoa also said, “It’s as simple as catching the ball in the [shotgun formation]. I would say I’m a pretty good shortstop guy; I have pretty good vision; I have pretty good hands.”
He then added, “I’d like to see a lot of other people go in the back there and try to catch that ball, too. You’ve seen it – it wasn’t ‘Brew’s’ [Aaron Brewer] best, and ‘Brew’ knows he can get it better, but it wasn’t my best as well.” He then leaned into the potato chips comment.
Tua said that taking a snap in the shotgun formation isn’t all that hard, yet they have had issues throughout the season and over the last couple of years.
It really comes down to paying attention. But, in the moment, things will happen, and when trying to get the snap off and call out coverages while being deep in your own territory, one small lack of focus can be a problem
The snap issues are not as bad as some have made them out to be. But they are avoidable, and as Tagovailoa said, both he and Brewer can do better.
Regardless, the armchair quarterbacks eating chips at home may not take kindly to being called out. It would have been classic had Tagovailoa said the “Sour cream and onion” chip-eating critics.