Tua Tagovailoa fires back at Cam Newton over criticism of his play: Easy to 'hold a clicker and talk about it'

Last week on ESPN‘s “First Take,” former NFL quarterback Cam Newton criticized Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for his play through his team’s first three games of the 2025 season. Tagovailoa has struggled as Miami has gotten off to an 0-3 start.

Thursday, Tagovailoa fired back at Newton and everyone else that has picked apart his performances. The 27-year-old said of Newton, “it’s easier to be able to hold a clicker and talk about it,” as opposed to being on the field and playing quarterback.

🎥 Tua Tagovailoa on fans and media – namely Cam Newton – criticizing his play following his contract extension: "I want to see anybody on the streets come play QB… it's easier to be able to hold a clicker and talk about it." (@MiamiDolphins) #PhinsUp pic.twitter.com/Y9db2CNzcy

— FinsXtra (@FinsXtra) September 25, 2025

“Anybody can play quarterback in this league then. I want to see anyone on the streets come play quarterback,” Tagovailoa said, via FinsXtra. “Cam’s 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. It’s easy to do that. I think anyone can do that, I don’t think anybody can play quarterback.”

Newton’s original comments came while discussing the Dolphins’ 31-21 Week 3 defeat to the Buffalo Bills (3-0), a game in which Tagovailoa had a costly interception late in the fourth quarter. More money means more expectations, Newton said about Tagovailoa, the sixth-highest paid quarterback in the NFL.

“Tua Tagovailoa is making more than Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, Baker Mayfield, Matthew Stafford, Jayden Daniels. Am I pocket watching? No, no, no. I’m putting things into perspective here,” Newton said. “What did Biggie say, ‘More money, more problems.’ 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 have.

“That’s not to say you can’t talk. I like quiet Tua, Alabama Tua, Chip on the shoulder Tua, not somebody going to come in and watch film. … What you’re being paid, what you’re being asked to do, what you have the capability of. From one quarterback to another, I look at a situation, it’s like, ‘Bro, come on, dog.’ Especially when you got a Ferrari, and a Lamborghini, and other amenities that some quarterbacks wish they had.”

Tua Tagovailoa: ‘We got do something about it’

Tagovailoa, when healthy, has been quite effective for the Dolphins. This season, however, he is tied for second in the league with four interceptions and 29th among starters with a 35.8 QBR.

At 0-3, the Dolphins have dug themselves a deep hole to climb out of. It starts with this Monday against another winless bunch in the New York Jets.

“We’re kind of tired talking about it, we got to do something about it,” Tagovailoa said. “We got to be able to show what we’ve been talking about throughout training camp… all of that is not translating to stacking wins.”