Tua Tagovailoa’s leadership plan is to be “the same Tua I’ve always been”

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When he found out about his demotion, Ryan Fitzpatrick said he felt it “was my team.” Indeed, the veteran quarterback won over teammates.

It didn’t matter.

The Dolphins now are Tua Tagovailoa‘s team for the present and the future.

The rookie is taking all the lessons he learned in the six months with Fitzpatrick heading into his first career start Sunday.

“I think my leadership plan is just to be the same Tua I’ve always been,” Tagovailoa said Wednesday, via Joe Schad of The Palm Beach Post. “I don’t have to go out yelling at guys. That’s just not the way I lead. I’m just going to be me.”

Tagovailoa has done all the right things, which is why his teammates, as heartbroken as they are for Fitzpatrick, are fully supportive of the team’s decision to handoff the starting job to Tagovailoa.

“I think Tua’s done a great job of observing the things Fitz does,” Dolphins receiver Isaiah Ford said. “Whether it’s taking command of the huddle, or coming to us outside of the huddle, when we’re on the side, and just talking through what we’re seeing and kind of getting on the same page. So, I think he brings his own charisma or level of comfort.”

Tagovailoa used the off week to prepare for Sunday’s game against the Rams. He watched extra film and took a few extra reps.

Tagovailoa took five snaps in mop-up duty in the Dolphins’ last game, going 2-for-2 for 9 yards in his first career action.