Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins keeping QB coach Darrell Bevell, at least for now
Tua Tagovailoa led the NFL in passer rating in 2022 and is expected to be the Dolphins' starting quarterback in 2023 so it would be splendid if the club could bring back quarterbacks coach Darrell Bevell.
Bevell has turned down opportunities to interview for the offensive coordinator jobs at Washington and the Jets, as first reported by NFL Network.
This is outstanding news for Tua and the Dolphins.
"Very detail oriented," Tua said of Bevell late this season. "I would say my relationship with 'Bev' has really grown a lot."
Since high school, Tagovailoa has had a litany — bevy, even — of offensive coordinator and quarterback coaches. To actually have the same play-caller and position coach could prove essential.
The list of Tua's college and pro coaches include: Brian Daboll, Mike Locksley, Dan Enos, Steve Sarkisian, Chan Gailey, Jerry Schuplinski, Robby Brown, George Godsey, Charlie Frye, Chandler Henley, Frank Smith, McDaniel and Bevell.
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Smith is Miami's offensive coordinator and McDaniel calls the offensive plays, but Tua has not downplayed the key role Bevell plays for him and the offense. Tua also mentioned this season Bevell's impact on third-down offense plans.
Bevell has coached quarterbacks like Brett Favre, Russell Wilson and Matthew Stafford. And some of the techniques he used to help those quarterbacks have translated to Tua.
For example, this year Tua began pregame visualization techniques on the field.
"I’m just trying to picture the operation of how I want the offense to operate, so I’m looking at the play call, saying the play call out, getting the motions," Tua said. "If a certain person is not where they’re supposed to be defensively, then that’s an opportunity to exert all the adjectives as far as getting us into the right play."
Bevell has a bit of a no-nonsense approach that Tua says provides a bit of a balance to the perpetually-positive McDaniel.
"Bev's just like, ‘Hey, we’ve got to get this. There’s no other way around it.’" Tua said. "And I’m like, ‘Yeah, you’re right.’”
Bevell has imparted on Tua the need for extra film study and preparation and to assert himself as the leader of the offense. And Bevell has been a valuable veteran voice for McDaniel.
"I knew that one of the biggest priorities for the organization was to get some leadership in the quarterback room, have a coach who has experience developing younger quarterbacks and has done it on multiple occasions and also has a disposition that is to be trusted," McDaniel said. "And you can’t find a more trustworthy, honest, loyal human being. He’s been huge for that room."
Near the end of the season Bevell said he would like to be a play-caller or head coach again and that he feels he would be ready for that step. But if Miami could somehow hold onto him for at least 2023, that would be a big boost for their quarterback and the offense.
McDaniel has credited Bevell for encouraging the quarterbacks to go outside the framework of the schedule in their preparation. Bevell's impact goes beyond coaching points about footwork and delivery.
"I had him and his family come over to our house and we had dinner," Tagovailoa said. "We watched a movie as well, in the theater room. Great family. I think having someone of his personality where regardless of how cool you guys are, if you’re not on top of your stuff, he’s going to let you know. That’s kind of the relationship that I would say I have with him. Really good, but I know what he expects and what he expects I kind of expect out of myself as well.”
Joe Schad can be reached at jschad@pbpost.com
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Dolphins would benefit by keeping Tua's QB coach, Darrell Bevell
