Read the full transcript from Tua Tagovailoa's press conference on November 12, 2025.
Q: Earlier today, Head Coach Mike McDaniel was talking about your production when you're playing with conviction and how much it helps the team. I'm wondering, in your view, how do you think you're doing right now in terms of your confidence, your production, compared to whatever it was when you were playing at your very best for the Dolphins?
"I would say to the confidence aspect of it as I said last week, the confidence is there, it's just the conviction aspect of it. Years are going to be different, games are going to be different each year, and so I think this year, it's not up to the standard that I've wanted it to be. The most important thing is I think the wins that we're getting and not putting that aside against good teams and outside of that, it's a correlation of everyone, not just me. It's a team effort to help in getting wins for our guys."
Q: Commanders QB Marcus Mariota I think you've spoken about the inspiration he was to you growing up, if you could touch on that and in the same breath if you could touch on not seeing Commanders QB Jayden Daniels on the other side?
"Long story short, I think a lot of people know I looked up to Marcus (Mariota). When I was in high school, he was at Oregon, then when he transitioned getting drafted to the Tennessee Titans. I was a big fan of him, still am, just of the person that he is outside of the player. Just happy for his success. I know he's been going through ebbs and flows throughout years and teams, but if you get to know the kind of person he is, I think the playing and what not is second. I would say not playing Jayden Daniels, I know that he's a great player, but that's not who I'd be playing against, I'd be playing against their defense and vice versa."
Q: The first article that I wrote for the Spanish newspaper here was about you. The title was "Tua Tagovailoa, the quarterback who changed American college football." It was about the impact you had in Alabama with that offense in a conference that was mainly about running a defense. I just wanted to close the circle and know if you feel the same about that, did you feel that you changed the most important conference in college football?
"I appreciate you writing that. I would say to no means did I do anything to change the catalyst of what was already there in Alabama football with Coach Saban and what he's done over the years. He just gave us the opportunity to play football to the best of our abilities and the best of our talents and gifts, so I think that's all it was. I appreciate you writing that, but I wouldn't say that that was due to me or any one person. I think it was collective of that team, that group of guys, and then given the nature of who Coach Saban is, you add that on top of that and that's just the cherry."
Q: You're here on a professional basis but first, how has been the very first approach and what do you expect if you have any free time? Is there anything that you would like to see around in Madrid?)
"Yeah, for sure. This is my third international game but being able to travel internationally and visit different cultures I think is a cool thing. Not just with the food, with the language, with the people as well. Yesterday I had the opportunity to go check out the city a little bit and I thought that was cool. I got to see a little bit of the Cathedral, I thought that was really cool and then checked out some spots while walking. I think I got about 20,000 steps in yesterday just walking. (laughter) Nice and cool (weather), not too hot, so it was really cool."
Q: What do you think of this facility?
"This facility is awesome. I wouldn't say anything bad about this facility, it's beautiful. We have a football field to go on, got cold tub, hot tub, got lockers, got the weight room as well, so can't complain about that."
Q: I wanted to ask you, you've done three international games, what is the biggest challenge for you guys as players? I know you work on Tuesday to get game ready, you're on a flight for eight hours. How did this week change your preparation time and also did you bring your family?
"I didn't bring my family with me, my family will be coming. I think the biggest aspect of it would be the time change. Just forward six hours from Miami and yesterday, it felt like we had like two practices although we didn't do anything yesterday but just land. I think the sleep aspect of it was tough. When we landed, some guys got five hours of sleep, some guys were going in and out of napping. Then when we landed, some guys were really trying to stay up and try to get acclimated as well. I think that would be the toughest aspect of it for what I've seen with guys and for myself as well."
Q: I know you guys haven't had the season that maybe you might've expected but coming off of last week beating not only a division rival but the reigning MVP, does that give you guys any extra spark going forward or just another win?
"I think that's a big confidence booster for our team, but we were able to enjoy that win for 24 hours. We want to put that to rest and we want to focus on the Commanders this week and find every possible way that we can to help win the game, offense, defense, collectively with special teams."
Q: We spoke with Head Coach Mike McDaniel and kind of going off a question from earlier, he used this analogy that you have to be more of a point guard and not a shooting guard. I'm curious if he's ever used that with you?
"Yeah, he's used that with me, for sure. Just being able to distribute the ball would be the analogy."
Q: How did you interpret it the first time you heard it?
"As the way that I explained it. Just being able to distribute it how ever that may look – whether that's no look, looking at the guy, off of our little reverse little deal, I guess things of that nature."
Q: Moving on from that, with WR Jaylen Waddle, ever since WR Tyreek Hill got hurt, he's cleared 5 catches and 80 yards in every game except for one. We hear from around the building that you guys have always seen him as that No. 1 guy, but how have you seen him take his game to any other level ever since he had to step into that role?
"I think the leadership role that (Jaylen) Waddle has taken has also been a step forward in his game with the little things where it's just breaking out of the huddle. If it doesn't look the way he wants it off of what he told the receivers, all right everyone back in the huddle, we're going to get this right and then we do it in that way. I think his leadership aspect has taken a big step forward this year."
Q: I know there's a sense that this team has been written off a little bit this season because of the record and the change at general manager. I'm wondering if you've thought at all or of it's in your mind at all when you guys are out there that by being competitive and winning more games, you might help Head Coach Mike McDaniel, your head coach, to retain his job as well and if that was in your mind at all in last Sunday's win over Buffalo?
"I understand the question, I know there's a lot of talk outside about certain individuals, certain people, but I think more so with last week's game, I think it shows the togetherness of our team. I don't think it's anyone playing for themselves, more so it really is everyone playing for each other, everyone having to do their job, having the conviction to do their job, and then each individual trusting that if I do my job, I got to trust that this guy is going to do his job as well and not try to play hero ball where, all right, I don't know if he's going to do that so I'm going to go out of my job, out of my way to maybe do his. Then when he does his and you don't do yours, I think that's where things fall apart where we got to play with conviction. We just continue to stick together, play together. I don't think anyone is worried about any of that external noise when it comes to that. When we play this game, we know what we sign up for. We know this is a business as well. We want to play for each other; we're going to do everything we can. We don't prepare to go out there and think, 'Hey, we want to do bad. We want to lose this game,' like no, we go out there with our heart, with our minds, for war. That's what it is essentially."
Q: I want to know if you talked to your brother, with Taulia, he was playing here in Europe, in Germany. He was here for a German team and I want to know if you talk with him about the difference, about the semi-professional league like the European and the NFL is really different. Have you talked with him?
"I haven't talked to my brother too much about the differences between when he was in the CFL, when he played in Germany and then I think he's playing in (Indoor) Football League now. I haven't talked about the differences with those versus the NFL and whatnot, but I'm just glad that my brother gets to continue to do what he loves and he wants to do."
Q: You talked about Commanders QB Marcus Mariota a little earlier, he was kind of sharing about how when you were a kid, he pulled you up to the highschoolers and had you throw because the guys couldn't catch a little bit, but he talked about Hawaii and what this will mean, first time you guys played. I'm curious your thoughts of people back home getting to see maybe the two standard bearers at quarterback for Hawaii playing at this stage?
"I think it's a really cool opportunity for a lot of the kids back in home in Hawaii and a lot of the kids in Australia, New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga, wherever they are within the Pacific, to be able to see two Polynesian quarterbacks go at it. Then it's also cool to see everything come full circle with me being able to look up to Marcus (Mariota) to having a chance to play against him."
Q: FB Alec Ingold said earlier that it has been a challenging season for everything, for the brotherhood he mentioned. You have been very vocal at the podium maybe about things within the locker room. You had some backlash in the media but you have been very realistic of yourself too. Can you tell us about your journey this year as a leader, as a human being, how this season has affected you with a lot of changes at the top of the organization too, and how Tua has changed during this year, how you've adapted to everything?
"I think that's a really good question. I was asked the question too in a production meeting about what was the biggest challenge for me this year that I thought, whether it was playing, whether it was on the field or off the field, and I think the biggest one for me was off the field with the game after the Chargers because of what I said. Given my leadership role on the team, sharing things with the guys, telling guys what the expectations are and then our rule No. 1 for the team is to protect the team and then I go out and say what I say in the media. Regardless of what my intent was, none of that should've been shared. None of that should've been said and I think that helped with my leadership, although I wished I could have not have said any of that or I could have taken that back, but it's out there. I said it, I owned up to it with the leaders with the team and then with the team as well. I would say that that was just the biggest one when it came to regrets this year because of the relationships I've created with a lot of these guys. Football is one thing but then I look at the relationships to become more important than anything we can do on the field. I appreciate that question, but I would say for myself that's what I've learned and I've grown from."
Q: I just want to know in Miami or in South Florida, if you've picked up on any Spanish that could come in handy out here in Spain?
"I don't know, I say hello and then I think they just realize, 'Oh yeah, he doesn't speak Spanish' and then they say 'Hi.' They're just like 'Hello, can I take your order,' or something like that. I don't know too much Spanish. Hola, como estás. Buenos diás."
