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  • 2 days ago
Rusty Mansell sits in with Carl Dukes on the show today and the two discuss why new Falcons QB Tua Tagovailoa could be primed to exceed all expectations in Atlanta. Dukes says his sources indicate Tua's struggles last year in Miami were down to organizational dysfunction, and Mansell said he's spent time with Tua and is ready to take his opportunity in Atlanta.
Transcript
00:00Let's shift gears.
00:00I want to hear your thoughts on Tua since you said you're rolling with me.
00:05Talk to me.
00:06I hope Mike Bell is knee-deep in whatever he's hydrating in,
00:09and I don't get a text from him.
00:12Not!
00:15Here's what I looked at Tua's six-year career.
00:17Yes.
00:18He averages 3,027 yards a season.
00:21He averages 22 touchdowns a season.
00:24The nine interceptions a season is really skewed because of the last year.
00:30Had a terrible year.
00:31Got beat up, beat to hell, all that.
00:33Yes.
00:34Here's the thing.
00:35I think the Falcons can help him.
00:37He has been sacked an average of 22 times.
00:41That's a lot.
00:42Yes.
00:43Keep him upright.
00:45Keep the dude upright.
00:46Well, this may be the best.
00:47This is certainly, when you talk about the experience of Lindstrom,
00:50what we have with Jake Matthews.
00:52I know they're figuring out the right tackle because, you know, again,
00:55we've got some options there.
00:56But I do think the group that's intact may be the most experienced group
01:01that he's been with and a group that knows each other really well.
01:05We also have an alpha by the name of B. John Robinson.
01:07Sure enough.
01:08So if you bring that backer on a blitz and he don't get home
01:11and you put somebody else on B. John, we'll hurt you.
01:14And then you've got Pitts, who we hope, and you've got Dre.
01:17He's got weapons around him that can help dictate,
01:20we can't sell out and leave our guys completely one-on-one with him
01:24because they will torch our ass, especially this running back.
01:27He's a problem.
01:28So I think there's a lot of things that are keeping him upright.
01:31I have been around him a good bit.
01:33I was around him for an entire week in San Antonio.
01:36Watched him throw.
01:37We're all going to see him throw in person.
01:39I know the questions, you know, the concussions and those types of deals.
01:44And somebody asked me recently, they said, do you think Tua loves football?
01:50Do you think he loves it?
01:52Because there comes a point, Carl, and you've been around a lot of athletes,
01:56there comes a point where privately they're just trying to not get hurt
01:59and keep that check and enjoy my kids.
02:03I think this guy is coming here at a perfect time.
02:08And I do think he came here thinking he got this job.
02:12And that's fine.
02:13Okay, Penix, put up a battle.
02:14Get healthy and put up a battle.
02:15I think Tua came here, and I think Tua's people were like, that's the spot.
02:19You want to be a starter?
02:21They got offensive pieces.
02:22Got a new coaching staff.
02:24We like these guys.
02:25This is your opportunity.
02:27So if he has that switch, and I say this about people in the work world,
02:31and I say this about people that are really good athletes
02:34and people in the business world, the most successful business people
02:38or the most successful people I've ever been around have a switch.
02:41They can turn that damn thing on.
02:43If Tua's who I kind of think he is, it's time to turn that switch on
02:46and be that guy because you've got all the weapons in the world,
02:49and you're going to have two steps on this race.
02:51I don't care what they say about all that.
02:53He's got the majority of the reps.
02:55When they start going on these OTAs and all that, Penix,
02:58you can say he's 100%.
02:59I don't know that he's going to be 100.
03:01He might be by the time the season starts, but you've got a two-step.
03:04If you're a four-by-one race, you've got the baton with the lead on the third leg.
03:08Yeah, you don't give this up.
03:09Don't let me catch you.
03:10Yeah.
03:10Don't let me catch you.
03:11It's a valid point.
03:13I'll say this, and I know people doubt the throwing.
03:16You talked about the arm strength.
03:17Who can make all the throws?
03:18Oh, my God.
03:19I laid this out maybe two months ago when I said,
03:22this is what was going on with him in Miami,
03:24and we'll revisit this as we get closer to camp.
03:27But there were a few things that were going on.
03:29And look, I know there are a lot of people who think,
03:32well, these guys make a lot of money.
03:33They all got nannies.
03:34There are guys who actually enjoy being fathers and want to be in the lives
03:38There's nothing wrong with that.
03:39of their children.
03:40Nothing wrong with that.
03:41Tua's one of those guys.
03:42Yeah.
03:42So he had a second kid, okay?
03:44Just putting it out there.
03:45And I've said this before.
03:47Went through a couple different trainers because he was going through those injuries.
03:50Didn't necessarily work out.
03:52You had the stuff inside of the organization with Mike McDaniel that was happening,
03:56and this is coming from inside the building and sources down there in Miami.
04:00There was a lot more to it than just Tua sucking last year.
04:03And by the way, he came here and threw four touchdowns against us.
04:06Trust me.
04:07I know what he did in that building.
04:08And I was so hot that week, Rusty, because I was like,
04:10he's playing terrible.
04:11This should be easy.
04:12Come on, guys.
04:12And he shows up and killed us.
04:14The point is, there was a lot on the plate,
04:18and I think he's in a better spot, to your point about coming here,
04:23where he is health-wise, family, trainers.
04:26Clean slate.
04:27He's in the best.
04:28He may be in the best shape of his life right now.
04:30If I'm his agent, and I look at him, and I'm his trainer,
04:33this is your time, Tua.
04:35So I'm not saying that, again, I've said this to Mike over and over
04:37because, you know, we've had this argument.
04:39Penix will have an opportunity, but I think Tua's going to make it very hard.
04:43Don't let him catch you.
04:45Don't let him catch you.
04:46Very interesting.
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