Tua Tagovailoa teaches us about positive reinforcement in NFL coaching

Miami Dolphins’ QB Tua Tagovailoa is one of the more fascinating stories the NFL has had recently. After struggling under former Dolphins’ head coach Brian Flores, Tagovailoa has thrived with coach Mike McDaniel en route to a massive new contract. When speaking with Dan Le Batard show recently, Tagovailoa opened up about the coaching differences between Flores and McDaniel, and what McDaniel does that’s so empowering to him.

“If you woke up every morning and I told you that you suck at what you did, that you don’t belong, that you shouldn’t be here, that you haven’t earned this…

and then someone come and tells you, ‘You are the best fit for this…How you that make you feel?”

– @Tua describes the… pic.twitter.com/bBHI6IsVlj

— Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz (@LeBatardShow) August 19, 2024

Tagovailoa played for Flores in two seasons with the Dolphins, and those two seasons were filled with inconsistencies, both on and off the field. From multiple coordinators to the rumors that the Dolphins were interested in adding QB Deshaun Watson, Tua never got the support from the Dolphins’ coaching staff that he deserved. Now, with McDaniel, he has the entire staff and front office behind him.

Positive reinforcement absolutely works in football. The sport has always been very stuck in the machismo mindset, and something that McDaniel has done with Tua is give him more positivity. Everyone and everything outside of the Dolphins’ locker room is going to beat him down, but inside that room they’re going to do everything they can to build him up. It’s not only good coaching, but great interpersonal communication. People want to work and play for other people that build them up, so McDaniel being this for Tua is great coaching.