“I’m Not Usually Impressed With No.1,2,3. But…”: Asante Samuel, For a Change, is Thoroughly Impressed by Tua Tagovailoa

The Miami Dolphins, and to a greater extent, Tua Tagovailoa, have been the beneficiaries of nothing but misfortune throughout the past several seasons. Career-threatening concussions and a 0-1 playoff record have been the hallmarks of the last five seasons, but according to Asante Samuel, the downtrodden Dolphins may finally be on the upswing.

In the latest installment of his Say What Needs to be Said YouTube series, the former New England Patriot admitted that the Dolphins’ primary passer “impressed” him with his recent statements towards Tyreek Hill’s relationship with the team. Suffice it to say, it was a rare moment of praise from Samuel.

After disclaiming that he is “…not usually impressed” with Tagovailoa as a product, Samuel explained that he was happy to see the 27-year-old “turning a new leaf and being more of a leader, speaking up for the Miami Dolphins as the quarterback at the team.”

Although that did leave him to question as to whether or not it is “too late already for Tua to try and insert himself as the leader of the team?” Only time will tell, but for now, Samuel seems content with Tagovailoa’s assertion that “you don’t just come back from” what Tyreek Hill did by just simply saying “my bad.”

Hill infamously removed himself from the Dolphins’ final contest of the season. He then proceeded to air several grievances with the organization on Twitter, routinely alluding to talks of a trade throughout the offseason.

The star wide receiver has since apologized for his actions and is now “back at it” with the Dolphins at training camp per his most recent tweet. Nevertheless, a rift still remains, and according to Tagovailoa, it may take a while before Hill is able to find himself back in everyone’s good graces.

“I would say we’re still continuing to [work on the relationship.] It’s not just with men, it’s with a lot of the guys. I’m not the only one that heard that. You guys aren’t the only people that heard that… You gotta work that relationship up and build everything up again. It’s still a work in progress, not just for me but for everybody.”

While Tagovailoa was willing to commend Hill for taking the initial step of declaring his goals and extending the olive branch, it’s clear that Hill’s chemistry with the rest of the locker room is still very much in question. Whether or not that turns into anything meaningful, such as a lack of targets during the regular season, remains unlikely, but the situation continues to be one worth monitoring.

The Dolphins are still searching for their first playoff win since the turn of the century, and the talents of Hill can certainly go a long way in getting them there. Whether they love him or hate him, Miami still needs him.

The 2024 season was the first and only instance in which the Dolphins didn’t appear in the playoffs since they first signed Hill back in 2022, so until something better comes along, both parties will have to begrudgingly work together in order to accomplish their shared goal.