Julian Edelman called out Tua Tagovailoa after his comments blaming his teammates following their 29-27 loss to the Chargers in Week 6.
The three-time Super Bowl champion compared the Miami Dolphins’ locker room situation to his own career in the league while questioning the team’s culture under coach Mike McDaniels.
“We never did that (blame each other),” Edelman said Friday on Colin Cowherd’s show (Timestamp-5:50). “If there was ever a problem, you handle that, closed doors with the team. We never talked about contracts, we never talked about drama. And we had drama. That’s honestly the way you’re supposed to do it because then it becomes a distraction to the team.
“I think the Dolphins are just fundamentally designed this way. You bring in a bunch of guys that aren’t culture guys. When stuff’s hitting the fan, who’s gonna be the serious guy. So, I think they’re just fundamentally wrong on how they’re built. I think we got to take a look at who’s building the team. Because, look, we paid Tua after, you know, he’s been hurt a bunch. We bring in Tyreek Hill. We all know what he is off the field.
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“These are your best players. Who are their core nucleus guys? We don’t know. They never really had them. So I think this was a terrible way to handle it because if there is a drama, you keep that in between your building, your meeting rooms and you don’t bring it out to the public.”
Following their loss against the Chargers, the Dolphins have put up a disappointing 1-4 record so far this season.
In the post-game press conference, Tua Tagovailoa criticized his teammates for arriving late or not attending player meetings at all. The quarterback also stated that the leadership in the team had to lay down their concrete expectations and urge the players to meet those expectations.
“I think it starts with the leadership in helping articulate that for the guys and then what we’re expecting out of the guys,” Tagovailoa said on Sunday. We have guys showing up to players-only meetings late, guys not showing up to players-only meetings. There’s a lot that goes into that. Do we have to make this mandatory?”
Also Read: “What the f*ck are we doing?”: Jason Kelce sounds off after Tua Tagovailoa’s complaint about Dolphins’ player-only meetings
Tua Tagovailoa apologizes for his comments after Week 6 loss to the Chargers
During Wednesday’s press conference, Tua Tagovailoa issued an apology for criticizing his teammates and the comments that he made.
“I’ve made a mistake and I’m owning up to the right now,” Tagovailoa said. “I’ve talked to guys on the team about it, talked to the leaders about it. They know my heart. They know that the intent was right. The intent can right, but when things get misconstrued or however the media wants to portray it, it leaves a void of silence and a lot of questions for the guys on our team.”
Tua Tagovailoa is currently in the midst of his four-year $212.4 million extension, which he signed in July 2024. So far in six games this season, he has recorded 1,213 yards and 11 TDs passing with seven interceptions to his name.
The Dolphins are next scheduled to take on the Cleveland Browns on Oct. 19 at 1:00 pm ET.