Dolphins-Chiefs is do-or-die for Miami in Tua Tagovailoa’s first playoff game

Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has been a highly touted high school recruit and competed for national championships at the University of Alabama.

But Tagovailoa, who is in his fourth season, acknowledged that what he will face Saturday night will be new territory.

When the Dolphins travel to Kansas City to face the Chiefs on the road in the wild card round of the NFL playoffs, Tagovailoa will make his postseason debut. Tagvoailoa didn’t play in Miami’s first-round matchup against the Buffalo Bills last season, a 34-31 loss, because of his second stint in the concussion protocol.

But after playing in every regular-season game, a first for Tagovailoa in his career, he will lead the Dolphins into what is sure to be a raucous — and frigid atmosphere — at Arrowhead Stadium.

“I don’t think I could compare this to anything, because it’s all new,” Tagovailoa said Wednesday. “This is a different feeling than it was in the National Championship Game. A different feeling than it was in the SEC Championship Game. I think they all come with new feelings. But the way I cope with it is go about my business the way I’ve been going about my business. Take care of my job and trust that my teammates will do the same with theirs.”

The Dolphins’ first-round game is set to be the coldest game in franchise history, with kickoff temperatures close to 0 degrees. Tagvailoa said the coldest game he has ever played in was a high school all-star event in Seattle, around 15 degrees.

“It was, like, raining and just bad,” he said. “It was at night, too. And it was like it was very windy. There were no heaters on the sidelines. Like everybody under one blanket.”

As he prepares for his playoff debut in the elements, Tagovailoa isn’t changing much. Coach Mike McDaniel noted that with the team located in South Florida, the Dolphins can only do so much to prepare for the cold weather.

“It will be cold and the air conditioning in that huge [indoor practice facility] space gets down to 50 or so,” he said. “I think that’s kind of insulting to the weather at this point to be like ‘Oh, yeah, we’re ready.’”

Tagovailoa, who doesn’t normally wear gloves on game day, said he doesn’t anticipate wearing any Saturday night.

“I just think the whole thing is a mind-set,” he said.

The pregame warmup will be key, though, to get a sense of the wind and how it might impact the team’s electric passing offense.

“We’ll go there, we’ll test it out and we’ll see what we have to do as far as adjusting or not,” Tagovailoa said.

The offense could be boosted by the return of wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, who has missed the past two games with a high ankle sprain. Waddle has been listed as a limited participant in the team’s two estimated injury reports this week and McDaniel said he is “optimistic” he will return to the lineup, along with running back Raheem Mostert, who is dealing with injuries to his knee and ankle.

“I think it helps us out a lot,” Tagovailoa said of Waddle’s possible return. “And then it’ll uncover what defensively they want to do. If they want to bracket [Waddle and Tyreek Hill], we’re going have to find other guys that can win their one-on-one matchups, or if they want to double Tyreek, we’ll find Jaylen and we’ll find someone else that is working their matchup. So we’ll come out we’ll see what they want to do and we’ll go from there.”

It has been a season of accolades for Tagovailoa, who became the first Dolphins quarterback to lead the league in passing yards since Dan Marino in 1992. He was also voted to the Pro Bowl Games for the first time and will start.

“It’s recognition across the league from coaches, players, fans,” Tagovailoa said. “I’m very grateful for that honor. It’s not something that I take lightly.”

And after struggles in the final two weeks of the season, which includes four picks, Tagovailoa has the opportunity to add his first playoff win to a year of feats.

“I think the guys are excited that we still have another opportunity and we’re not necessarily leaving the building with a bad taste in our mouth from the last game,” he said. “But it’s just another opportunity for us to hopefully do what we said we wanted to do all along.”