MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Tua Tagovailoa returned to the Miami Dolphins after their bye week the same person — but different in a very noticeable way.
Tagovailoa got his long hair braided, with a new cornrows, tattoos, and beard combo that had many on social media believing he was a dead ringer for Drake.
Tua Tagovailoa has a new look pic.twitter.com/bDgHFqnexP
— Adam Beasley (@AdamHBeasley) November 15, 2023
“It was just one of those things where my hair was just wild, and you know, I wanted to see what I could do with it and if I couldn’t do anything. I was gonna chop it up,” Tagovailoa explained.
“But Drake, I don’t know if I look like Drake.”
Does Miami Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa Want To Win MVP?
Tagovailoa has been and will always be a viral sensation — which the Hard Knocks production team will surely lean into next week in the show’s fall premiere episode — but the fourth-year quarterback is far more concerned about what he does on the field than off.
The always humble Tua must know he is playing the best football of his career. He’s top three league-wide in passing yards per game (289.9), yards per attempt (8.5), touchdown passes (19), and passer rating (106.4).
That productivity, plus the Dolphins’ 6-3 start, has made him a true league MVP contender. (DraftKings gives Tua the league’s fourth-shortest odds at +550.)
MORE: Miami Dolphins Depth Chart
Is that a motivation for him?
Does Tua Tagovailoa want to win MVP? pic.twitter.com/IpOYdNwxTV
— Adam Beasley (@AdamHBeasley) November 15, 2023
We asked him on Wednesday.
“Brother, I just want to help our team win the Super Bowl,” Tagovailoa replied. “I think that would be the greatest deal. When everything’s said and done, nobody can take that away from you.”
Oddsmakers believe the Dolphins have a good chance at that, too. Per DraftKings, the Dolphins are 9-to-1 to win it all — fourth-best behind the 49ers, Chiefs, and Eagles.
The best way to get to the Super Bowl? Host playoff games. The Dolphins haven’t had a home postseason game since the 2008 campaign but are overwhelming favorites to earn at least one this year as AFC East champions.
“It’s not just important to me; it’s important for all of us to win our division,” Tagovailoa said. “You know, in order for us to win our division, we gotta start with this upcoming game. So we, we can’t worry about what happened with anyone else in our division; we gotta look forward, and our next opponent is the Raiders.”
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