When the Miami Dolphins selected quarterback Tua Tagovailoa with the fifth pick in the 2019 draft, there were obviously many who were happy with the decision, but it’s safe to assume Stephen Ross, owner of the Dolphins, was among the happiest.
While Ross and the Dolphins were reportedly really interested in Joe Burrow with the top pick, the Bengals wouldn’t trade back, so Miami took Tagovailoa, despite there being many questions about the Alabama quarterback. His health, size, and arm strength were chief among them. However, now after two years and an expected 21 starts, the Dolphins could be moving on from their quarterback.
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio said on “PFT Live” that he believes Ross should be held responsible for the team’s decision-making and for putting Tagovailoa in a tough spot.
Florio is right in some aspects. The owner is the one with the power to sign off on these franchise-altering decisions, and Ross did that with Tagovailoa. He appears to be doing the same with constant rumors about the Dolphins trading for Deshaun Watson.
It’s tough for an owner to be held truly responsible. They can’t fire themselves, and they won’t sell just because the fans want them to. However, he does deserve to be held accountable for the decision-making, and we can’t just put the blame on Chris Grier or whatever general manager is in the role at the time.
