Earlier this week, the Miami Dolphins announced their five captains for the 2021 season, and much to fans' surprise, starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa wasn't one of them. Quite a curious omission, considering his role.
But former NFL quarterback Sage Rosenfels supports Miami's decision, and believes that Tagovailoa hasn't accomplished enough at the pro level to earn the rank today.
"I think it's great. Congratulations to the Miami Dolphins, head coach, and players for not having a young guy -- who hasn't proven anything -- be a captain," Rosenfels told the Tiki and Tierney show on Friday. "I love the fact they gave it to older guys. I think it's just the opposite of what everyone is thinking... Let's have a young guy who's never been to a Pro Bowl, let's have him wait a little bit until he's a captain.
"I think there's even more to the story. I believe if a player wanted to be captain, they put their name in the hat. So, we don't even really know if Tua wanted to be a captain. I honestly just think that the players wanted to go with these veterans. That's how I look at it."
Tagovailoa, who was selected fifth overall by Miami in the 2020 draft, showed noticeable growth during August preseason action. In two exhibition games, the Alabama product completed 24 of 34 passes for 282 yards, and recorded one touchdown and interception.
2020 was an odd year for Tagovailoa on the field. He started his first game in November, won six of nine games in the role, and threw for 1,814 total yards with 11 scores and five picks. Tagovailoa also experienced some issues with the playbook, and his ineffective play prompted head coach Brain Flores to bench him twice for veteran journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Miami will open its 2021 regular season against the New England Patriots in Foxboro on Sept. 12. According to the William Hill Sportsbook, the Dolphins currently have the third-best odds (+360) to win the AFC East, and the eighth-best odds (+1700) to win the conference.
The entire football conversation between Rosenfels and Tiki and Tierney can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow the Tiki and Tierney Show on Twitter @TikiAndTierney and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.