Since entering the NFL as a first-round pick out of Alabama in the 2020 NFL draft, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has had his arm strength picked apart and questioned every step of the way.
This offseason, that narrative had hit a peak with fans stirring into a frenzy after a clip of Tagovailoa at OTAs went viral on social media. That led to wide receiver Tyreek Hill defending his quarterback with his own video and eventual comments on his new podcast.
While everyone is talking about it, former New England Patriots director of player personnel Scott Pioli doesn’t believe Tagovailoa’s arm is a problem. In fact, he compared it to the arm of one of the best quarterbacks of all time.
“Tua’s arm strength will be just fine,” Pioli said in a conversation with the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson. “First five years of Tom Brady’s career, critics said over and over that he can’t throw the deep ball. It’s all dink and dunk. Brady was deadly accurate. He was being told to make high percentage throws, because that’s what he could do best at that time. As he got older, he got stronger.”
Obviously, like Hill wasn’t saying Tagovailoa’s arm is better than Patrick Mahomes’, Pioli isn’t saying it’s like Brady’s. He’s just showing that accuracy is a key part of a young quarterback’s game, especially when that’s what they’re being allowed/asked to do.
Arm strength isn’t something that has to be there right away. Right now, Tagovailoa is a very accurate quarterback, and that could still be enough to lead to a successful season.
