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Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sparked backlash within the football community after he publicly called out his teammates following the team’s fifth loss of the season, this time against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Among those disappointed with the quarterback’s comments was his former head coach, Alabama legend Nick Saban.
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa reacts after the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Hard Rock Stadium. (Sam Navarro/Imagn Images)
Saban, who coached Tagovailoa en route to a national championship during the 2017 season, said he was shocked to hear some of the remarks his former quarterback had made.
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"One of the things that I always try to tell our players is you never criticize another player and, in my entire coaching career, you never ever saw me criticize one of our players. I think everybody’s got to take responsibility for what they can control, and if you start worrying about things you can’t control, that’s going to start affecting things you can control," Saban said Friday on "The Pat McAfee Show."
"I was really shocked that Tua did what he did, when he threw some guys under the bus. Maybe they’re not playing the way they should play, I’m not taking up for the guys, but you don’t say that about your teammate."
Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban speaks with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (13) during the College Football Playoff National Championship Game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Alabama Crimson Tide won the game in overtime 26-23 in Atlanta, Georgia, on Jan. 8, 2018. (Todd Kirkland/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Following the 29-27 loss to Los Angeles, which saw Miami fall to 1-5 this season, Tagovailoa vented to the media about his teammates.
"We have guys showing up to player-only meetings late. Guys not showing up to player-only meetings. There is a lot that goes into that. Do we have to make that mandatory? Do we not have to make that mandatory? So it’s a lot of things of that nature that we got to get cleaned up. It starts with the little things like that."
The remarks sparked backlash from around the NFL, prompting him to apologize just days later.
"As a leader of this team, of the Miami Dolphins, the comments that had been said, I've made a mistake," he said Wednesday, "and I'm owning up to that right now. I've talked to guys on the team about it, talked to the leaders about it, and they know my heart. They know that the intent was right. But no matter the intent ... when things get misconstrued or however the media wants to portray it, that leaves a void of silence and a lot of questions for the guys on our team."
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa speaks at a news conference after the Los Angeles Chargers defeated the Dolphins 29-27 in an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
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Tagovailoa looked at the incident as a learning opportunity, and Saban commended his former player for publicly acknowledging the mistake.
"I really was proud of the way he came back and took accountability for making a mistake."
The Dolphins will look to rebound Sunday on the road against the Cleveland Browns.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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