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Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sparked backlash in the football community after he publicly called out his teammates following the team’s fifth loss of the season, this time against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Among those disappointed by the quarterback’s comments were his former head coach, Alabama legend Nick Saban.
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa reacts after the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Hard Rock Stadium. (Sam Navarro/Imagn Images)
Saban, who coached Tagovailoa to a national championship in the 2017 season, said he was shocked to hear some of the remarks his former quarterback had made.
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“One of the things that I always try to tell our players is that you never criticize another player, and in my entire coaching career, you’ve never ever seen me criticize one of our players. I think everybody has to take responsibility for what they can control, and if you start worrying about things you can’t control, it’s going to start affecting things you can control,” Saban said Friday. “The Pat McAfee Show.”
“I was really shocked by it Tua did what he didwhen he threw some guys under the bus. Maybe they’re not playing the way they should be playing, I’m not rooting for the guys, but you don’t say that about your teammate.”
Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban talks with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (13) during the College Football Playoff National Championship game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Alabama Crimson Tide won the game in overtime 26-23 in Atlanta, Georgia on January 8, 2018. (Todd Kirkland/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
After the 29-27 loss to Los Angeles, who then Miami falls to 1-5 this season, Tagovailoa told the media about his teammates.
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“We have guys showing up late for players-only meetings. Guys not showing up for players-only meetings. There’s a lot that goes into it. Should we make it mandatory? Shouldn’t we make it mandatory? So it’s a lot of things of that nature that we need to clean up. It starts with little things like that.”
The statements sparked backlash from around the world NFLwhich prompted him to apologize a few days later.
“As the leader of this team, of the Miami Dolphins, the comments that had been made, I made a mistake,” he said Wednesday, “and I own up to it right now. I’ve talked to guys on the team about it, talked to the executives about it, and they know my heart. They know the intent was right. But whatever the intent was right. But whatever the intent, the media wants to leave … empty of silence and a lot of questions for the guys on our team.”
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa speaks at a news conference after the Los Angeles Chargers defeated the Dolphins 29-27 in an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Tagovailoa saw the incident as a learning opportunity, and Saban praised his former player for publicly acknowledging the mistake.
“I was really proud of the way he came back and took responsibility for making a mistake.”
The Dolphins will look to rebound Sunday on the road against Cleveland Browns.
