Miami Radio Hosts Rip Tua Tagovailoa After Comments on Dolphins Exit

Tagovailoa signed with the Atlanta Falcons after a difficult stretch in Miami, but his former radio hosts were not pleased with how he discussed his departure.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 11:08am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa signed a $1.2 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons this offseason, aiming to rehabilitate his image with a new franchise after a difficult stretch with the Miami Dolphins. During his introductory press conference, Tagovailoa acknowledged his poor play and the unique issues he had with the Dolphins coaching staff and some teammates. However, when pressed for more details, he brushed off the questions, leading to criticism from Miami radio hosts who felt he was not being forthright.

Why it matters

Tagovailoa's departure from the Dolphins was messy, with the team taking on a record $99.2 million in dead cap to release him. The radio hosts felt Tagovailoa was not taking full accountability for the issues that led to his exit, which could impact how he is perceived as he tries to revive his career with the Falcons.

The details

Tagovailoa signed a $212.4 million contract with the Dolphins a few seasons ago, but injuries and poor play marred his time in Miami. The team chose to release him, taking on the record dead cap hit. During his introductory press conference with the Falcons, Tagovailoa acknowledged his poor play, saying 'My play wasn't up to the standard of the way I've been playing football.' However, when asked about the fallout with the coaching staff and some teammates, he was apprehensive, saying 'I don't want to get too much in depth with things that were going on' and describing the situation as 'unique in a sense' without providing further details.

  • Tagovailoa signed a $1.2 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons this offseason.

The players

Tua Tagovailoa

A quarterback who played six seasons with the Miami Dolphins, leading them to the playoffs twice and leading the NFL in passing yards in 2023, before signing with the Atlanta Falcons this offseason.

Mike McDaniel

The former head coach of the Miami Dolphins, who had a falling out with Tagovailoa late in the 2025 season.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“'Well, you just brought it up, dummy!' ”

— Marc Hochman, Host of Hoch, Crowder & Solana on 104.3 WQAM

“'He didn't like it here, obviously. They benched him, him and [Mike] McDaniel fell out. Then say, 'We didn't see on the same page late in the season, we weren't having success on offense.' Get into details or just say, 'I'm happy to be a Falcon.' Why is he throwing these little breadcrumbs out and then running away from it laughing? It's just goofy. It's goofy on both sides. Don't squirrel. Say, 'I'm mad, and I'm going to tell you why I'm mad,' or say, 'that's in the past.'”

— Channing Crowder, Former NFL player and radio host

What’s next

The Falcons will hope Tagovailoa can leave the past behind in Miami and revive his career in Atlanta.

The takeaway

Tagovailoa's departure from the Dolphins was messy, and his unwillingness to fully address the issues that led to his exit has drawn criticism from Miami media. As he tries to move forward with the Falcons, he'll need to demonstrate more accountability if he wants to rehabilitate his image.