It's been more than 20 years since the Miami Dolphins have recorded a playoff win, but that's not holding Tua Tagovailoa back from speaking on his squad's Super Bowl aspirations.
A day after the Dolphins reinforced their high aspirations with trades for pass rusher Bradley Chubb and running back Jeff Wilson, the third-season quarterback made it known that nobody's shying away from the highest of goals.
"I think throughout OTAs and throughout training camp, we could see the potential that we had as a team offensively and defensively, and we're not afraid to talk about Super Bowls here," Tagovailoa said Wednesday. "We're not afraid to talk about going to a playoff game, having an opportunity to go to one and then hopefully winning one."
A cavalcade of notable offseason additions garnered plenty of optimism for the Dolphins. If that was not enough to show Miami was all-in on a playoff push, Tuesday's trades to bring in Chubb and Wilson were.
Thus, for a club looking to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2016 and just the third time in 20 years, there is no hesitation in speaking aloud about making not just a postseason run, but a Super Bowl.
A proven winner in college at Alabama, Tagovailoa clearly believes in his Dolphins as more and more are believing in him.
Already having developed a chemistry with wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, Tagovailoa is turning in his best season so far thanks at least in part to the additions of wideout Tyreek Hill, offensive tackle Terron Armstead and running back Raheem Mostert. Tagovailoa is 5-1 as a starter this season with league highs of 9.0 yards per attempt and a 112.7 rating as he's completed 130 of 186 passes for 1,678 yards (279.7 per game) and 12 touchdowns with just three interceptions.
While positive results have been had thus far, the Dolphins are still a franchise that hasn't won a playoff game since 2000 and hasn't been in a Super Bowl since the 1984 season. But before the Dolphins get back to the big game, it would seem they have to believe they can get there first.
And their 24-year-old QB surely does.
Said Tagovailoa: "I would say I have full belief that we are capable [of winning a Super Bowl]."
