Tua Time on hold: Fitz named week 1 starter for Dolphins

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The Miami Dolphins have chosen their quarterback for the 2020 NFL season. In a battle between veteran journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick and first-round pick Tua Tagovailoa, the Dolphins announced on Monday they would start the season with Fitzpatrick as QB1 and the rookie from Alabama serving as the vet's primary backup.

It was always seen as a ‘not if, but when’ situation between Fitzpatrick, who is set to turn 38 this season, and Tagovailoa, based largely on Tagovailoa’s position as potentially the best quarterback in the 2020 NFL Draft and his recovery from recent injuries. Fitzpatrick could be the quarterback of the present, the reasoning went, but Tagovailoa’s quarterback of the future tag could allow him to fill in at any time.

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The No. 1 dual-threat quarterback in the 247Sports Composite and a five-star prospect, Tagovailoa quickly created buzz at Alabama from those who raved about his natural ability as a passer. He relieved starter Jalen Hurts in the national championship game and led the Crimson Tide in a comeback effort to topple Georgia and win the title.

That set up a quarterback competition, with Tagovailoa prevailing and hitting on 69 percent of his passes for 3,966 yards and 43 touchdowns with just six interceptions. And he was on pace for an even bigger season as a junior — his 206.9 passer rating would have been the greatest single-season mark of all-time if he’d played more games and gotten more attempts — and he was on track to top his previous season marks in completion percentage (71.4 percent) yards and touchdown passes with a full 15-game season as he had the previous year.

But Tagovailoa’s hip injury — and the fact that NFL teams couldn’t get him in front of their doctors after everything shut down for COVID-19 concerns — kept him from serious conversations to be the No. 1 pick. NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah said before the shutdown that the Cincinnati Bengals should consider Tagovailoa at No. 1 (they eventually went with LSU's Joe Burrow), while some others said that they would have taken Tagovailoa over Burrow if not for the injuries. Deion Sanders even chipped in that he would have taken Tagovailoa No. 1 regardless.

Tagovailoa passed the Dolphins' physical, and him sliding down draft boards for the hip injury could wind up benefitting Miami down the road, as the Dolphins were able to get one of the most efficient quarterbacks and best pure passing prospects in college football history at the No. 5 spot.

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