NFL

Tua Tagovailoa sure Dolphins are 'all in' on him after Tom Brady tampering punishment

By Sports Desk August 04, 2022

Tua Tagovailoa is confident the Miami Dolphins are "all in" on him despite the team having been punished for allegations of tampering involving Tom Brady.

It was confirmed this week the NFL had taken away two draft picks from the Dolphins and suspended owner Stephen Ross after an investigation found the team violated the league's anti-tampering policy.

The Dolphins were found to have had impermissible communication with Brady during the end of his time with the New England Patriots in 2019 and 2020, as well as in 2021 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and also broke NFL rules by communicating with coach Sean Payton in January.

Miami tried to lure both Brady and Payton to the team but did not go through the proper channels, according to league findings, with the Dolphins losing a first-round draft pick in 2023 and a third-round selection in 2024.

Tagovailoa has struggled with injuries and form during his time in Miami and had to contend with rumours for the first half of the 2021 season that the Dolphins were targeting Deshaun Watson, who was then at the Houston Texans and is now with the Cleveland Browns.

The news has further called into question Miami's confidence in the fifth overall pick of the 2020 draft, who himself has no doubt he has the trust of his team-mates.

"I would say everyone heard about it yesterday when we went into the locker room, seen it on the TV," Tagovailoa said. 

"For me, I have no idea about all the details other than what was shown on TV with the $1.5million fine and then something happening with Brady. 

"I mean, I don't know all the details. I don't even know what happened. But I got to talk to a couple of the guys to kind of find out what was going on, and everyone's wondering the same thing. So, not too sure.

"I remember I came in in 2020, so whatever happened in 2019, I can't even speak on that. I was here in 2020, and I'm still here, and I'm blessed to be here. 

"If it has to do with support from the team, I think the team's all-in with me and all the guys that we have now."

The Dolphins begin preseason against Brady's Buccaneers later this month, before beginning their campaign against the veteran quarterback's former employers the Patriots on September 11.

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