MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Few (if any) players have meant more to the Atlanta Falcons in the last decade than Grady Jarrett.
The two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle has built up all kinds of credibility, both inside the Falcons locker room and throughout the league.
So his comments about Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa Wednesday after practicing against him the previous two days should carry a lot of weight.
Grady Jarrett on Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa
Jarrett told reporters that Tagovailoa “rightfully deserved” the four-year, $212.4 million contract extension he signed earlier this camp, and then explained why.
“He’s been leading this program for so long and I’m happy for him [considering] the injuries that he overcame,” Jarrett said. “Guy’s always got to overcome the doubters, man. When he got hurt, a lot of people didn’t think he was going to make it back. Fought his way back to be a top quarterback in this league, and I’m super grateful to be able to have competed against him on the field.”
Jarrett added: “They got a special guy leading their team, and he leads the offense pretty nice.”
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Jarrett, now entering his 10th NFL season (all spent with the Falcons), has seen plenty of Mike McDaniel’s offense over the last two years. He’s practiced against them each of the last two training camps.
Asked to name the biggest challenge of facing the Dolphins’ high-octane offense, Jarrett responded:
“The unknown. Every year, there’s new wrinkles to an offense and new players added, new players gone, new offensive line, not familiar with certain guys, but it’s also refreshing because in training camp, it breaks up the monotony of going against the same teammates, knowing what you’re gonna see every day and then also going against new opponents and new lineups, different lineups that each team will present every day.
“So I think that’s part of it and just responding to the unexpected.”
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