Tua Tagovailoa cold weather record: Dolphins QB remains winless with Thanksgiving loss to Packers

The Dolphins finally looked like the team many expected them to be this season, entering Thanksgiving on a three-game winning streak with an offense as hot as any in the NFL. The cold weather might have killed that momentum Thursday night.

Tua Tagovailoa, now fully fit after a horrific concussion, initially said he would have no trouble performing in the sub-freezing temperatures at Lambeau Field. The Dolphins QB told reporters he was “excited to kill narratives” on Thanksgiving in Green Bay, adding, “Keep going.”

However, the Dolphins lost 30-17 and struggled to overcome a sluggish start, although the passing game found a rhythm in the second half.

Tagovailoa grew up in Hawaii, spent his college career in the SEC and has been with the Dolphins since entering the NFL. It’s no surprise that he may not be adjusting well to the cold, but a loss on Thursday dealt a serious blow to Miami’s growing playoff hopes and cast even more doubt on whether he can win in suboptimal conditions.

Here’s a look at Tagovailoa’s cold weather track record following the Dolphins’ loss to the Packers.

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Tua Tagovailoa cold weather record

Tagovailoa is 0-8 as an NFL quarterback when the temperature is 100 degrees or below. It is 0-4 when the temperature is 40 degrees or less. He is 36-15 years old when the maximum temperature exceeds 45 degrees.

While Tagovailoa calls the idea that he can’t perform when he has a cold a “narrative,” there certainly seems to be something behind the plot. A record of 0-8 is difficult to explain, even though many of these games took place under difficult circumstances. Until then, however, it will be difficult to win on the road against the Bills, Chiefs or Packers, even in 36°C weather.

Tagovailoa’s last cold-weather game before Thanksgiving was the Dolphins’ 27-6 wild-card round loss to the Chiefs in January. Miami was at a disadvantage due to injuries on both sides of the ball, and Tagovailoa’s defense wasn’t just cold – it was painfully freezing, with a temperature of -4 degrees at kickoff.

Still, Patrick Mahomes got the job done, and the Dolphins quarterback’s shaky night only reinforced the idea that he’s a different player in the cold. A loss in Green Bay means the storyline will continue, even if his stats were more than respectable.

Here’s what you need to know about Tagovailoa’s stats in cold weather games.

Tua Tagovailoa cold weather stats

Tagovailoa has made five starts in games where temperatures never exceeded 40 degrees. Here are his numbers:

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While most quarterbacks are at least slightly less effective in cold weather, which tends to favor running games, Tagovailoa’s sub-70 passer rating and sub-55 percent completion rate were concerns on Thanksgiving.

Tagovailoa remains winless in the cold, but his cold-weather stats improved across the board with the help of some late-game performances (mostly “garbage time”) against Green Bay. His completion percentage improved from 54.5 percent to over 60 percent and his touchdown total surpassed his interceptions total by two scores against the Packers.

Weather Dolphins vs. Packers

Tagovailoa was spared from heavy snow Thursday night, but the second half saw heavy snowfall and temperatures hovered around 25 degrees, making it one of the coldest (but certainly not). The (coldest) games of Dolphins quarterback’s career.