Miami Dolphins offensive tackle Terron Armstead protected quarterback Tua Tagovailoa over the past two seasons after having Drew Brees as a teammate with the New Orleans Saints from 2013 through the 2020 campaign.
During a recent appearance on “The Rich Eisen Show,” Armstead compared Tagovailoa to the future Hall of Famer.
“But as far as similarities, the accuracy, the precision is scary to see,” Armstead said about the two quarterbacks, as shared by Alain Poupart of Fan Nation’s All Dolphins. “Drew is Hall of Fame, one of the best ever to touch a football for sure. Tua’s accuracy and his ability to manipulate and move defenders with his eyes, footwork, it’s incredible. It’s Drew Brees, and I know that’s a tall comparison, but he stands up to it. He is an impressive thrower of the football.”
Per ESPN stats, Tagovailoa ended Week 18 ranked fifth among qualified quarterbacks with a career-best 69.3% completion percentage on the season. As impressive as that is, Armstead also praised how the 26-year-old has matured as a leader over the past two years.
“I saw him take steps of growth in his leadership and holding guys accountable,” Armstead said about Tagovailoa. “I saw him get on the great (wide receiver) Tyreek Hill last year, which he never would have done the first year. So looking forward to this next one, him taking another step in the management and piloting this franchise. I’m excited for him and I’m going to do everything I can to keep him clean.”
Keeping Tagovailoa clean unquestionably was a big reason for Miami’s success during the 2023 campaign, as he made 17 regular-season starts for the first time in his career. He finished Week 18 leading the NFL with 4,624 passing yards, and he was ranked 10th among qualified passers with a 60.8 adjusted QBR. Tagovailoa was also fifth with a 101.1 passer rating, and he tossed 29 touchdown passes with 14 interceptions over those 17 contests.
Assuming Tagovailoa can stay healthy and build upon such impressive numbers, the sky could be the limit for what he and the 2024 Dolphins are able to accomplish.
