Read the full transcript from Tua Tagovailoa's press conference on October 1, 2025.
Q: I'm curious, what do you remember about meeting WR Jaylen Waddle for the first time?
"We were at Alabama, I was going into my second year. One distinct memory, I remember we had a seven-on-seven throughout our training camp, so we had our fourth quarter program in the morning, lift, guys go to class and then we had another part of it where we all come back to the facility, then we have a seven-on-seven deal. I remember throughout that seven-on-seven deal, I had my guys out there, then the second group would go in. You got the ball into his hands, prior to all the injuries that (Jaylen) Waddle has had over there, he was fast fast. Super quick."
Q: After last game, you mentioned something about changing nutrition before games. What were you talking about? What's new with how you approach game day?
"Just carbing up more for the games and getting more fluids in."
Q: How does all that help?
"I think it definitely helps with the aspect of the brain, I guess everyone would be wondering how did I feel on that hit and what not, I felt perfectly fine, felt great. Throughout the years, that was one of the bigger things we hadn't addressed, was making sure I got a good amount of carbs in my body so that as I drank water or drank the right stuff or whatever it was, it'd stay in. The doctors were talking about the liquid that your brain sits in and all of that, so that was just the biggest aspect of all of that."
Q: That changed this year?
"Yes sir."
Q: Now you've got me curious, why carbs? Why carbs?
"You'd probably think it'd make you heavier or slow you down in a way for sure, but I guess for me from what I've come to know or come to understand from what the doctors were talking about, is your brain kind of sits in fluids and if I'm eating eggs, bacon and sausage and there's not much carbs, like if there's no bread or whatnot, you kind of drink water and it'll just flush out of you, so you can't stay hydrated that way, but the carbs kind of help soak that in and stay there."
Q: With WR Jaylen Waddle, what have you seen from him in the past year or so that gives you confidence now that you guys are going to lean and depend on him a lot more that he's going to step up for that?
"My first three years with him, the first time he came to the league, he's been able to have 1,000-yard years those first two years in the league for him. So it's one of those where we get right back into that. Jaylen (Waddle) understands the offense a lot better than he did the first year (Head Coach) Mike (McDaniel) came here, so I trust that he's going to be here where he needs to be. We've built that chemistry from Alabama all the way until now, but Jaylen knows that doesn't give way to me just always looking for him as the target. We've got to go through the progression and see what the defense wants to run now that '10' (Tyreek Hill) is out. Do they still want to stay in the two-high deals or do they now like their matchups to where they can sort of crowd the box now?"
Q: With TE Darren Waller, where are you in the chemistry development stage. I mean obviously, first game, two touchdowns, pretty good. But I know you're a quarterback who you like to get that work in to develop and create a groove, where are you in that?
"Yeah, no doubt. (laughter) No doubt. We're still trying to work through that. The first touchdown throw to him was an eye-opener for me just given the length that he has. In a way, that was a trust throw where I felt like, 'Dang, that was high that I threw that ball,' and for him to get up and make a play like that, kind of gives me more of an insight of what kind of ball I can throw to him if he's ever coming across the middle, or if it's a one-on-one matchup with him on a go bar, whatever that looks like. There's still some routes that we've still got to tidy up and get on the same page with, and a day like today, tomorrow and Friday, we'll be able to work those kinks out."
Q: That is Offensive Coordinator Frank Smith's guy, as I'm sure you know. What did Frank tell you about TE Darren Waller before you even got on the field?
"The biggest thing that Frank (Smith) told me is as long as you put it in his vicinity and you give him a chance, he should come down with it. Even in practice, when I tell you I've tried to do that purposely, too, he does come down with it and it's pretty cool to see."
Q: How does quarterback play change for you now where the pass catching corps isn't all speed, speed, speed everywhere? You've got a big guy like TE Darren Waller, you mentioned a throw that never works for you, it did when you threw it to TE Darren Waller. How does it change for you?
"I don't think it changes at all. In terms of how we're looking at the scheme of what we're running and then looking at the defense, I don't think it changes in that aspect. With '10' (Tyreek Hill) being out, like I said, now we're going to have to figure out what the defense wants to do, are they going to play true to their own defense given that there's only '17' (Jaylen Waddle) out there, then we have our other guys and (Darren) Waller and they like their matchups, or are they still going to keep the shell."
Q: The last time WR Jaylen Waddle was your, I guess, No. 1 receiver, de facto No. 1, was that 2021 season when you had nothing really else, respectfully. He still went for 1,000 yards, 100 catches. How did his ability to perform then in an offense that wasn't built like it is now teach you about what he can handle when he is relied on to be the guy?
"It taught me a lot, because you go from college – college is such a different thing than coming into the NFL. How he went about his business that year, just things that we asked of him and him knowing that as well, he took it upon himself, too, that year that like, 'I can't be a rookie. This isn't the year for me to be a rookie. I've got to come in and I've got to go and ball for this team.' I've got the utmost confidence in 'J. Dub' (Jaylen Waddle)."
Q: It was one of those where he had to just grow up fast?
"Yeah, no doubt."
Q: With WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, WR Tahj Washington, you've even had the opportunity to work with WR Theo Wease Jr. when WR Tyreek Hill wasn't working in OTAs and the offseason, WR Dee Eskridge, too. What have you learned about them as an arsenal?
"The difference with them and '10' (Tyreek Hill), as we all know, is the speed, so the timing of how those guys all come out of routes, whether it's an in cut or an out cut, it's slightly different all individually as well. Tahj (Washington) is going to look different than 'NWI' (Nick Westbrook-Ikhine), than Dee (Eskridge), than Theo (Wease Jr.), all of those guys. It's also how much pace do I need to put on the ball if they're breaking and I'm throwing it before their break, and even go balls as well for those guys, just tracking the speed, how much air I need to put under the ball and what not. That's sort of the distinction that I've learned being able to throw to those guys."
Q: Do you like bigger receivers? I mean, everybody likes bigger receivers, but Head Coach Mike McDaniel puts an emphasis on creating separation which is his explanation on why he has a small receiving unit. How would you play different with bigger targets?
"I think there is a big difference when you're playing with someone of Darren Waller's stature, of NWI's (Nick Westbrook-Ikhine) stature, versus 'J. Dub' (Jaylen Waddle), versus 'Reek' (Tyreek Hill), versus Tahj (Washington), versus Dee (Eskridge) in terms of what you can do with manipulation and then how to get the throws there for those guys, whereas '10' (Tyreek Hill) and '17' (Jaylen Waddle), it's more, OK, if I manipulate this guy, I've got to be able to get the ball up and out quick for them because these guys could be way taller than them and it's just one of those for them, whereas 'D. Wall' (Darren Waller), if it's a corner route and you're trying to hold that corner down, even if he gets back and you're throwing it high just for him, there's more of a potential that that's a catch than not."
Q: You mentioned college being such a different game than the NFL. I think I might know the answer to this question, but why does the college reps that you have with WR Jaylen Waddle, why is that significant?
"I think that's significant because the plays in the NFL and the plays in college, they translate, but the only difference is the players, the scheme, how everyone is going about their business on the other side, I would say that's the only difference. But timing, how you're seeing it as a quarterback, in a way it does translate but it is a different game."
Q: Once upon a time, it felt like how the league was built, especially at receiver, you wanted the 6'3" guy that can go up over anybody and grab it, and it feels like there's been kind of like this migration toward separation, smaller guys that can get open. From your perspective as a quarterback, what is more important, the catch radius or just the ability to separate?
"I think they're both important, but with every individual person, with the position that they play and the stature that they have, there's always a give and take. With 'Reek' (Tyreek Hill) and (Jaylen) Waddle, speed, but then the takeaway is the height or the go up and get it in some of the one-on-one scenarios maybe closer to the red area; versus a bigger guy, maybe not as much separation but if you can give them the best chance by putting a really good ball up there for them to get it, they can get it, but then the downside would be maybe separation."
Q: Former Alabama QB Bryce Young, how much have you been able to watch him? What do you think of his career so far?
"I've been able to keep up with him over there at Carolina. The thing with playing in this league, it's not easy, and I know he knows that. He's got to continue to keep pressing forward, keep doing what he's doing, not worry about what everyone else is talking about as he's trying to work through his deals out there in Carolina. I'm thinking of him, I'm praying for him, I hope he has a long career in the NFL."
Q: You have mentioned a couple of times how defenses may change their approach now that WR Tyreek Hill is out. What's your best guess, do you think they're not going to respect the deep ball as much? Are they going to move safeties up? Does the run game have to show them that you can punish them that way?
"I'm not too sure. We've had games where '17' (Jaylen Waddle) was out and only '10' (Tyreek Hill) was in; we've had games where '10' was out and only '17' was in. Teams have gone to their normal base defense of what they would normally run from what we've seen on film, but I don't know. That's the beauty of football. We'll see on Sunday what they want to do defensively, if they do want to keep a shell or if they want to fit the box and just tell us, 'hey, pass the ball on us,' then we'll adjust accordingly."
