Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has clarified what he meant by his comments to star receiver Tyreek Hill regarding his trade request in the offseason and the repercussions.

Tua Tagovailoa has clarified that he did not mean to criticize his teammate Tyreek Hill when he said a few days ago that they needed to work on their relationship.

“I don’t feel like I’m talking bad about my teammate,” the 27-year-old emphasized to the NFL Network.

However, the Dolphins quarterback also made it clear that star receiver Hill needs to be aware that his comments at the end of last season about wanting to leave the team immediately did not go unnoticed in the locker room.

Tagovailoa emphasized that while Hill is great on the field, he needs to learn to be great off the field and in the locker room as well.

“I’m just trying to hold him accountable, because that’s what we try to do with everyone on our team. And when we say that’s the standard, that’s the standard, and no one is exempt,” the playmaker continued.

Miami Dolphins: Tyreek Hill has hurt the team with trade request

Hill had let his frustration run wild after the end of a disappointing season and made his desire to leave very clear.

“This is the first time I’m not in the playoffs. I have to do what’s best for me and my family,” the 31-year-old rumbled after the final game of the regular season, a defeat against the New York Jets. He added: “Whether it’s here or somewhere else, I’m opening that door for myself. I’m out, bro.”

Hill has since long since abandoned his desire to leave, but the damage to the team’s trust in him remains undeniable.

“It’s not just me. It’s a lot of guys. I’m not the only one who heard that. You’re not the only ones who heard that. A lot of people who are interested in football, who follow the Miami Dolphins, who follow Tyreek, who are fans of him. Everyone saw that,“ Tagovailoa told reporters.

He made it clear: ”When you say something like that, you can’t just get away with ‘Hey, my mistake’. You have to work on that relationship. You have to rebuild everything.”

Miami Dolphins: Tua Tagovailoa saw a change in Tyreek Hill

However, Tagovailoa has already noticed a mental change in his favorite receiver during the current offseason. “I think Tyreek has become a lot more vulnerable. He talks to the guys a lot more,” he said.

It’s “not just about football,” but also about “things off the field. He’s showing vulnerability about some things that people know about his personal life and similar issues. I think that’s the first step in building real relationships and a real connection with a lot of the guys there,” the quarterback said.

Hill has often made headlines with his private life in the past, but those days are finally behind him. “I think he’s still trying to find himself. The man he wants to be, and he’s not that young anymore, everyone makes mistakes. It’s just that some people are in the spotlight and their mistakes are more noticeable than others,” Tagovailoa said, describing his impressions.

Finally, he took up the cudgels for his WR1. “You just have to cut him some slack. He’s our teammate. We love him. If you know him as a person, I think you would love him too,” he said.