Tua Tagovailoa caught a ricochet shot from a somewhat unlikely source Saturday.
Tagovailoa lost a member of his receiving corps when the Patriots reportedly acquired DeVante Parker in a trade with the Dolphins. Simmons, a Boston-area native who still supports all of the local teams, reacted to the deal by taking a dig at Miami’s polarizing passer.
“Devante Parker welcome to New England!!! Let’s take it slow as you get used to the startling experience of having your QB hit you in stride when you’re open,” the founder of The Ringer tweeted Saturday afternoon.
Simmons’ shot isn’t totally fair. While this doesn’t completely validate Tagovailoa as a good passer, he had the seventh-highest completion percentage among QBs who attempted at least 14 passes per game in 2021, according to Statmuse. Tagovailoa has the skillset to be pretty efficient, and he very well could enjoy a breakout of sorts under the direction of a creative offensive-minded head coach like Mike McDaniel.
That said, Simmons’ jab has a chance to age well. If Tagovailoa stays healthy in 2022 and isn’t able to perform at a high level in an offense that features Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, the Fins might be forced to evaluate their quarterback situation.
