The Miami Dolphins had a disappointing end to the 2024 season. After falling short of the playoffs, the Dolphins’ woes have continued into the early portion of the 2025 campaign.

Miami’s 0-3 start this season has further placed quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s performance under the microscope. Former NFL QB-turned media personality Cam Newton is among those who have criticized Tagovailoa.

During one of last week’s episodes of ESPN’s “First Take,” Newton cited Tagovailoa’s four-year, $212.1 million contract extension during his critique of the Pro Bowl signal-caller’s performance.

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“Tagovailoa is making more than Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, Baker Mayfield, Matthew Stafford, Jayden Daniels. Am I pocket watching? No, I’m putting things into perspective here,” Newton, the 2015 NFL MVP, said last week.

“In this case, it should be more money, more expectations. When I see Tua Tagovailoa over this year alone, I’ve heard him more than I ever had. That’s not to say you can’t talk. I like quiet Tua. Alabama Tua. Chip on your shoulder Tua. Not ‘Is somebody going to come in and watch film.’

“What you’re being paid, what you’re asked to do, what you have the capability of, from one quarterback to another, I look at the situation like ‘Come on, dawg.’ Especially when you’ve got a Ferrari and a Lamborghini and other amenities that other quarterbacks wish they had.”

Newton’s comments were later brought to the attention of Tagovailoa’s, who suggested he contends with much more challenging circumstances than pundits may give credence to.

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“Well, anybody can play quarterback in this league then. I want to see anybody on the streets come and play quarterback,” Tagovailoa said. “Cam is doing his thing for sure, but I think it’s easier to be able to hold a clicker and talk about it that way or talk about what someone else is doing wrong when you’re not going out and having to do the same as them.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, left, and Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa meet after their game at Hard Rock Stadium Nov. 28, 2021, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)

“I think it’s easy to do that. I think anybody can do that. I don’t think anybody can play quarterback.”

Tagovailoa also acknowledged his performance level has fallen well short of the standard he holds himself to.

Through three games this season, Tagovailoa has thrown five touchdowns and four interceptions. His quarterback rating ranks among the bottom of the NFL.

While Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel is aware there is always room for improvement, he applauded Tagovailoa for his mental toughness during the team’s on-field struggles.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, right, with head coach Mike McDaniel at Lambeau Field Nov. 28, 2024, in Green Bay, Wis. (Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)

“The game of a franchise quarterback is never just still. … There’s opportunities that he needs to take advantage of,” McDaniel said. “There’s also a ton of opportunities to turn the ball over that he hasn’t taken. He’s really answered the bell for 99% of the time. … It’s not an easy task to be in his shoes, but I’m very happy with where his mind is at and where his focus is at because if he was a weaker-minded individual, it’s tough for any quarterback during any losing streak or any whatever.

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“He’s focused on being 1-0 against the New York Jets, and that’s why I know he’s capable. And I’m excited to see his next opportunity that we work on all week because of just that, of being focused on the right things.”

Tagovailoa has had some notable achievements since being drafted 10th overall in 2020. He was the NFL’s passing leader in 2023.

The Dolphins host the winless New York Jets on Sunday.

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov needed surgery Friday to repair the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his right knee, injuries that will likely sideline him for the regular season and potentially the playoffs as Florida tries to win a third consecutive Stanley Cup.

Barkov was injured Thursday in his first official practice of training camp. He had surgery Friday, and the Panthers said the typical timetable for recovery from such a procedure is seven to nine months.

At minimum, that timetable would mean he won’t be playing before the start of the playoffs. The injury also ends any chance of him representing his native Finland — as he hoped and planned — in the Milan-Cortina Olympics this coming February.

“He’s such an important person in that locker room,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said Friday. “I think what we’re going to get to experience now is you’ll get to know some of the other leaders that we have in our room.”

Barkov was hurt 20 minutes into practice, during a drill on a play where he took minimal contact.

“I know the idea is next man up,” Maurice said. “There’s not a next man for Barky’s skates.”

Barkov led the Panthers in assists last season with 51 and was second in points with 71. He added six goals and 16 more assists in the playoffs when Florida won its second consecutive Stanley Cup.

Barkov has appeared in more than 86% of all Florida games, including playoffs, in his 12 NHL seasons. This is the first time he has dealt with a potential season-ending injury.

And now, the Panthers — who have been to the past three Stanley Cup finals and played more games in the past three seasons than any team in a three-year span in NHL history — have to navigate another missing star as the season approaches.

In addition to Barkov, the Panthers also won’t have forward Matthew Tkachuk while he recovers from offseason surgery to repair a torn adductor muscle. There is no formal target for Tkachuk’s return; given the typical return-to-play timelines for such procedures, it wouldn’t seem likely that he returns before December.

Since Tkachuk came to the Panthers in 2022, Florida has played only five games without either him or Barkov in the lineup — all last October, with the Panthers winning three of those five contests. And Tomas Nosek, who had a big role in last season’s run to the Cup title, is expected to miss considerable time because of a knee injury.

“It’s going to be tough,” Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe said when asked about the Barkov news Friday. “He’s our leader — there’s no replacing Barky. Everyone has to step up. There’s no replacing him, but it’s another challenge for our group. And we’re usually pretty good at overcoming challenges.”

Barkov is Florida’s franchise leader in many categories, including games played (804), goals (286), assists (496), points (782), power-play goals (84) and game-winning goals (52).

Ruben Amorim has hinted that some of his Manchester United players are still struggling to escape the scars of last season as they go in search of back-to-back Premier League wins at Brentford.

United are yet to win consecutive league games under Amorim.

They have the chance to change the unwanted run when they visit the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday following last weekend’s 2-1 victory over Chelsea.

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Another win would be a welcome step forward for Amorim and his players.

And the Portuguese coach has admitted finally winning back-to-back games would help his squad begin to get over the trauma of last season when United lost nearly half their league games and finished 15th.

“I think if we start winning it is not [a question of] 10 wins in a row,” said Amorim.

“I am talking about the second one, then the third one. The feeling will change and again that is something about the environment that we are living for a while.

“If you look at Bryan [Mbeumo] in that moment when we are struggling you feel a different guy compared to the rest of the team.

“You have to understand that some of the guys are here for a while and that feeling is still here and for that [to change] we need to win games.”

United impressed in spells against Chelsea last weekend and were also praised for their performance against Arsenal on the opening day of the season.

Last season, they beat Manchester City and Arsenal and drew with Liverpool at Anfield.

It’s against the so-called smaller teams that United have struggled most and Amorim has called on his players to treat Brentford as if they were another of the Premier League’s top six.

“The important thing is to do the maximum and to face that game like we faced Liverpool last year because we were struggling, or the way we started the season against Arsenal,” he said.

“We were really excited to start the season. We should have that feeling all the time.

“I think if we as a team, if we don’t understand the momentum now, we have a big problem.

“We need to understand the momentum of the club and the opportunity that we have to win the next game. So it’s on us and the responsibility is on us.”