Henry McKenna
AFC East Reporter
You might have spotted that factor on Tua Tagovailoa’s head.
Possibly you noticed the photographs from spring practices of the Miami Dolphins quarterback dressed in no longer only one however two other cameras on his helmet. Tagovailoa and trainer Mike McDaniel had been experimenting right through arranged workforce actions and minicamp to peer what they may be able to glean from somewhat technological support.
However, smartly, issues went off the rails when Tua confirmed as much as follow with a Polaroid digicam on his head.
(Picture by means of Megan Briggs/Getty Photographs)
If you are pondering, “He cannot be severe,” then … you might be proper.
It sort of feels like Tua was once trolling or joking round with a Polaroid after the unique digicam — a small, black instrument that was once perhaps 3 inches lengthy and a half-inch in diameter — won such a lot media consideration. So he caught the outdated digicam on his head for a couple of throws right through warmups to debris with everybody.
The Polaroid digicam can have been for laughs. The unique digicam had a handful of utilities. Groups had been the use of it for more or less twenty years.
The primary level of price is apparent: The digicam issues the place the quarterback’s head issues. So when the coaches evaluate the movie, they may be able to see how the quarterback is shifting via his development.
“For all quarterbacks, it is a instrument to lend a hand in reality force house sure training issues and simply see what they are seeing to be at the similar web page because the participant,” McDaniel stated previous in June. “I believe that added useful resource, he is noticed it reside and he has an overly sturdy recall in what he sees and is in a position to be in contact it to coaches. So it is extra for coaches to peer precisely what he is seeing. That is proved really helpful.”
Coaches can put Tua’s digicam pictures up right through conferences and stroll during the quarterback’s development as a educating level — mentioning the great and the unhealthy. That is sure no longer only for Tagovailoa however the different Miami quarterbacks: backup Mike White, second-year signal-caller Skylar Thompson and rookie James Blackman.
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However then there is the audio element. The digicam takes the coaches within the huddle at a degree that they hadn’t in the past heard prior to. They may be able to file every play name. “You’ll library the ones play requires gamers to listen to when they are learning,” McDaniel stated. Via recording the play name, the Dolphins can reserve it and use it like an audio notice card for gamers studying every play.
“It provides audio for a large number of the brand new guys in order that they may be able to pay attention to the play over and over again and over from the man giving the play. Then they may be able to pay attention to the cadence,” Tagovailoa stated.
After which there are the unintentional penalties of the digicam.
“I have in reality prompt the closing two consecutive workforce conferences with random issues which are hilarious just like the noises Raekwon [Davis] makes when he go rushes,” McDaniel stated, giggling. “It is a instrument of useful resource, and it has many alternative packages.”
Probably the most revealing side of the digicam could also be that it permits McDaniel to judge Tagovailoa’s huddle presence. It sounds just like the quarterback is not at all times calling performs by means of the ebook within the huddle. He every now and then has particular directions to gamers. And it is off-script.
“You call to mind the integrity of the huddle,” Tagovailoa stated. “Do I in reality need the coaches to listen to what I am pronouncing to the fellows? As a result of once in a while chances are you’ll no longer like a play and also you move into it and also you inform the fellows how you are feeling. However you principally inform the man, ‘Hello, I am skipping this development to come back to you so that you higher be there.'”
So Tua will get stuck freelancing?
“I would possibly not do this to Mike,” Tagovailoa laughed. “I have were given an excessive amount of appreciate for Mike.”
Whether or not by means of twist of fate or causation, Tagovailoa did not put on the helmet cam for any of the remainder practices after his feedback to the media. It’s going to be fascinating to peer if any digicam — Polaroid or in a different way — makes its means onto the sector for coaching camp on the finish of July.
Previous to becoming a member of FOX Sports activities because the AFC East reporter, Henry McKenna spent seven years overlaying the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports activities Media Crew and Boston Globe Media. Practice him on Twitter at @henrycmckenna.
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