Tua Tagovailoa's honest Tyreek Hill take puts Dolphins' vibes on ice immediately

The Miami Dolphins went to hell and back last season, winning eight games and missing the postseason after another concussion knocked Tua Tagovailoa out for an extended stretch. This team has the talent and the coaching to contend, but after countless playoff disappointments and the overwhelming setback of last season, it's unclear if Miami can rebound.

It starts with their stars: Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill. That has been the foundation for Miami's success in recent years. There hasn't been a more telepathically linked QB-WR duo in the NFL. Tagovailoa and Hill, at their best, are operating in perfect sync. That connection might be in jeopardy this season.

Hill was frustrated by how the 2024 campaign unfolded. Who wouldn't be. He threw a wrench into Miami's plans, however, when he told reporters — point blank — "I'm out bro" while sitting at his locker after the Dolphins' final game.

That led to intense trade speculation and appeared to push Hill's relationship with the Dolphins past the point of no return. He has since apologized and renewed his vows to the organization, but if Tagovailoa's latest comments are any proof, Hill still has a long way to go before his teammates trust him again.

Tua Tagovailoa dubs relationship with Tyreek Hill a 'work in progress'

Tagovailoa called his relationship with Hill a "work in progress" after the All-Pro wideout declared (and then rescinded) his desire to depart Miami. It seems there is a long way to go until Hill and Tagovailoa are operating at their past level of synergy.

"When you say something like that you don’t just come back with ‘My bad,'" Tagovailoa said. "You gotta work that relationship up. He is working on himself."

This is remarkably candid stuff from Tua. We don't normally hear that level of frankess and honesty with the media. It's a credit to Tagovailoa, but it will also stress out the Dolphins fanbase. Things would feel a lot more light and optimistic if Tagovailoa came out and uttered something along the lines of "it's all water under the bridge." That may be a lie, but fans love being pandered to. Lying and pandering go hand-in-hand.

Dolphins are under immense pressure to rectify Tagovailoa-Hill partnership

There is a lot riding on this season for the Dolphins. That Tagovailoa extension already looks like a bad investment. Hill's contract effectively comes off the books in 2026. Miami has been circling the upper echelon of contention in the AFC for years, but every postseason has ended with bitter disappointment. Or injuries and uncertainty.

Something has to change in 2025. The Dolphins need a healthy campaign from Tagovailoa and Hill. That should ensure a postseason berth, at the very least. From there, we need to see their chemistry reach a new level — one that translates to the postseason environment, in which Tagovailoa too often crashes and burns. It's one thing to win in the regular season and wow fans with an explosive offense and modern style of play. It's another thing entirely to immortalize your team on the Super Bowl stage.

At this point, it feels silly to even talk about the Dolphins like a Super Bowl contender. It has gone wrong too many times. We've learned our lesson for believing in them. But that is the goal, and another season that falls short of that goal could precede foundational changes in South Beach.