No, Tua Tagovailoa Won’t Be the Miami Dolphins Next Dan Marino

It’s been 20 years since Dan Marino retired and the Miami Dolphins haven’t found a franchise quarterback since.

But you already know that. It’s no secret that the Dolphins have been in need of a star quarterback ever since. 21 have tried to fill his cleats and as of this year’s NFL draft, a 22nd is on the roster. Even those not good at math can see that’s a new quarterback every year and it has been painstaking for fans.

Dan Marino left a hole in South Florida that never quite seems to be filled. He was a legend on the football field, breaking record after record with one of the best passing attacks ever.

Looking back on the quarterbacks who have filled in since none of them even come close on talent or win level. Now two full decades later, fans are asking Tua Tagovailoa to fill in and be the guy who gets the team back to their glory days.

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However, if you expect him to be the next Dan Marino you’ve got high hopes. Comparing Tua to Marino is like comparing Michael Jordan and LeBron James. They’re playing two separate styles of football.

Dan Marino was a pocket passer. He never had the speed to outrun defenders but could read and deliver faster than any quarterback. In today’s NFL, he’d be the last of a dying breed. True pocket passers are yesterday’s offensive leaders. The new NFL is transitioning to RPO-based offenses.

Tua might be the guy who can sit in the pocket and make the big throws much like Marino but his decisions will be less of a targeted approach. From a football standpoint, he’ll still have to read and react. However, instead of calling an audible at the line and changing formations, his read of the defense will run the same play with more options and that’s the difference.

Marino was a genius at reading up defenses and changing plays to take advantage of mismatches before the snap. Tua’s audible won’t change the formation, just where the ball was going. With Marino, changing the play and getting the ball out was more about catching defenses out of position with a quick play and fast release. His offenses weren’t as reliant on defenses cheating forward to stop the run, but more cheating forward to cut off his quick passes.

In the RPO offense, bigger plays downfield will be set up by selling the run as well as the chain-moving plays. Picking up players like Jordan Howard and Matt Breida will be instrumental in Tua’s success. His offense won’t be as reliant on catching players off balance and out of position. Tagovailoa will have to run an offense that relies heavier on reading defenses and taking advantage of mismatches.

The Miami Dolphins will have to make a decision on whether to play Tua as early as possible or let him sit out a year. Rumors are already floating of him starting at some point this season and for good measure. If he’s healthy enough to start and can learn quickly, the Dolphins will want him to develop chemistry with his receivers early on. Figuring out each receivers strengths and weaknesses will be key to figuring out just where the mismatches against defenders are.

One thing’s for sure, Tua might have the Miami Dolphins fans more excited than they’ve ever been for a replacement quarterback. He can be the real deal, but if you’re expecting the next Dan Marino you’re comparing apples to oranges and people in Florida know all about oranges.