Tyreek Hill played only 47 percent of the offensive snaps against the Titans, and Miami lost by one point in going 2-for-5 in the red zone. The Dolphins played without him against the Jets on Sunday and scored 30 points and gained 290 yards.
Hill has been mentioned more often as an MVP candidate than his quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, because of the narrative that they go as their star receiver goes.
Tagovailoa insists he tunes out the “noise,” but also admits he keeps “receipts.”
“Everyone wants to make this about me, about Tyreek. Please, keep pushing it to Tyreek. Make it about Tyreek,” Tagovailoa said, via Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN. “I understand that my platform and who I am in this league as a quarterback makes me polarizing. Whether I’m the best, whether I’m the worst, I [couldn’t] care less. I don’t listen to it. . . . At the end of the day, I really don’t care. But if [Dolphins communications] does share it with me, I mean, I keep receipts. We all have a way of how we do things, but all the narratives about it -- yeah, sure. I am only good with Tyreek, you’re right. That is the only time I’m at my best.
“You’re right: I’m only good when Jaylen [Waddle] is in. I couldn’t care less about it. Sure, I’m only as good as Raheem Mostert allows me to be. That’s what the narrative needs to be. And we’re able to win games, and we’re able to go where we want to go as a team. I am the worst football player if that’s what you want. I don’t care. I really don’t. So, whatever it is, whatever you need on your show, take clips out of what I just said. Do it. Do what you need to do. I’m just here to do my job, and my job is to help our guys win games.”
Tagovailoa leads the NFL in completion percentage (71.0) and yards (3,921) and ranks second in average gain (8.56) and passer rating (106.0). He leads all NFL players in Pro Bowl voting with 175,772 fan votes.
“It makes me feel weird. It’s different,” Tagovailoa said of leading Pro Bowl voting. “Just because I try not to make things about myself. I like to make it about others. So, that I mean, that’s, that’s probably, yeah, it’s unique, I would say but, of course, I appreciate the support from the fans. I appreciate, you know, those that are in support of me and my teammates.”
The Dolphins are 10-4 and atop the AFC East heading into Sunday’s game against the Cowboys.