Former teammates Tagovailoa, Hurts enter pivotal NFL seasons

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Throughout the particular groups interval of Wednesday’s joint follow between the Eagles and the Dolphins, the quarterbacks from each groups gathered on the Dolphins follow discipline.

Amongst them had been Tua Tagovailoa, Miami’s starter, and Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia’s starter, each carrying pink jerseys with the No. 1 on the again.

“I talked to him throughout follow. They had been telling me it was sizzling,” Tagovailoa later joked.

The 2 have been linked since their time as Alabama quarterbacks. And of their younger careers, they’ve used one another as assets to navigate the NFL panorama.

Tagovailoa and Hurts, each coming into their third NFL seasons, are at a pivotal juncture: That is the yr that they each want to point out they will lead their respective franchises for the foreseeable future.

“I keep in mind final season, we’d been texting one another fairly a big quantity,” Tagovailoa mentioned after Wednesday’s follow. “For me, once I ended up taking part in the Saints, he performed the Saints prior. I texted him about that. He gave me some ideas. He texted me about taking part in one other crew. I gave him some ideas.”

The following day, Hurts was requested about how his relationship with Tagovailoa has grown.

“The friendship we’ve got and having the ability to discuss who we’re seeing within the league and simply being a companion all through the method of that,” Hurts mentioned, “I need to see him win, and I do know he needs to see me win.”

The Dolphins and Eagles haven’t performed one another since Tagovailoa and Hurts grew to become starters. Miami and Philadelphia will face off in Saturday’s preseason finale at Exhausting Rock Stadium, although it’s unlikely that both crew’s starters will play a lot, if any.

Hurts, who was the Crimson Tide’s quarterback for 2 seasons (2016-2017) was drafted by the Eagles 53rd general within the second spherical of the 2020 draft. He sat behind Carson Wentz for a lot of his rookie season earlier than changing a struggling Wentz in Week 13.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa talks with the information media after a joint follow with the Philadelphia Eagles on the NFL soccer crew’s follow facility, Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla.

Tagovailoa changed Hurts after halftime of the nationwide championship recreation in opposition to Georgia within the 2017 season and took over as Alabama’s starter afterward. He mentioned that competing with Hurts and the remainder of the gamers in Alabama’s quarterback room helped put together him for the NFL.

“The dude needed to be the primary into the load room. He needed to be the primary out onto the sector. Like sprints, he needed to be first,” Tagovailoa mentioned of Hurts. “So it actually tells you the way he goes about his life. It tells you about how he form of sees issues and the way he appears at issues. Clearly he’s a competitor. He by no means needs to be final, so that ought to inform you a large number about him.”

Hurts, identified for his power as a runner even in school, confirmed enchancment as a pocket passer final yr, his first full season as a starter.

Hurts threw for 3,144 yards and 16 touchdowns with 9 interceptions final yr. He led the crew in speeding yards (784) and speeding touchdowns (10). Now, he has to show that he can take the following step to steer Philadelphia’s offense along with his legs and his arm.

And he’s in an ideal place to take action, with one of many league’s greatest offensive strains and an elite receiving group that features A.J. Brown and former Crimson Tide receiver DeVonta Smith.

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni mentioned Hurts has proven enchancment in his imaginative and prescient and decision-making all through coaching camp, including that his session in opposition to the Dolphins Wednesday was his greatest follow since becoming a member of the franchise.

“What he was doing with the soccer and having the ability to undergo reads and the progressions that quick and getting the ball to the place it wanted to go, I believed, was unbelievable,” Sirianni mentioned.

Tagovailoa mentioned he cherishes his relationship with Hurts and the opposite members of the Crimson Tides quarterback room, together with Mac Jones, now the Patriots beginning quarterback.

He was drafted No. 5 general by the Dolphins in 2020. And whereas Hurts was initially supposed to be a stable backup choice for Wentz, Miami drafted Tagovailoa to rejuvenate its franchise.

That hasn’t panned out fully but, however the crew hopes that its new-look offense that features receivers Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and Cedrick Wilson Jr., and its skilled protection will yield the outcomes it has been in search of: a deep playoff run.

Final season, Tagovailoa threw for two,653 yards and 16 touchdowns with 10 interceptions, finishing 67.8 % of his passes. However Dolphins first-year head coach Mike McDaniel has lauded Tagovailoa’s command of the offense all through coaching camp.

“The offense is totally different,” Tagovailoa mentioned. “The arrogance that the blokes have popping out to follow is totally different. The arrogance that the blokes have coming into the constructing is totally different.“

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