Some NFL teams have different ways of picking their captains. One team may hold a player vote, while others may be appointed by the coaching staff.
In Miami, under head coach Mike McDaniel, it’s the former, as the Dolphins announced they’re 2022 captains this week, and, for the first time, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa earned that honor.
During media availabilities this week, when McDaniel was asked if Tagovailoa being named captain is a stamp of leadership, he confirmed that belief.
“Well, absolutely. I firmly believe that – so captains represent the players, right? That’s the whole position so the way we approach it here is that the players vote for who they want to represent them as captain, and seeing how it was a point system, and the resounding highest point winner was Tua; I think it says everything.
“I think that’s incredibly important. When it’s done with the right reasons with the right intent, and that was the only thing that I gave the players was like, ‘Who do you want, representing you, each and every game? Who do you want to wear the ‘C’, and understand what that ‘C ‘means on your jersey?’ And I think it speaks volumes on where he’s at with the team and their belief in him.”
McDaniel, and a number of Tagovailoa’s teammates, have done nothing but prop up the quarterback, as he enters a season that brings a ton of pressure. However, he continues to evolve, and it’s evident to even new players like Terron Armstead.
“Him specifically – it’s my first time being around him, but just from these last several months I’ve seen growth,” Armstead said. “I’ve seen confidence, I’ve seen just his love and passion for the game. That just speaks volumes to him, how he approaches his job every day and we are 100 percent behind him. He is the captain, so he’s the one that we are all following and he’s going to lead us to wherever we got to go.”
Tagovailoa is surrounded by those who believe in him. Now, he just has to go out and prove them right.
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