"That doesn't go over well": J.J. Watt doesn't hold back on Tua Tagovailoa laughing with Jalen Ramsey amid Dolphins benching $212M QB

The Miami Dolphins’ 28-15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday officially ended their playoff hopes, but that was not the only talking point from that game. Cameras captured Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa spending extended time talking and laughing with Steelers defensive back Jalen Ramsey, a former teammate in Miami, after the game.

Tagovailoa’s postgame behavior drew even more scrutiny given his performance on Monday. The Dolphins quarterback threw his league-leading 15th interception of the season and, although he totaled 253 yards and two touchdowns, both came in garbage time with the game already out of reach.

As a result, the smiles and laughter he shared with Ramsey struck many as tone-deaf. NFL great J.J. Watt echoed that sentiment on "The Pat McAfee Show" on Wednesday, making it clear he was unimpressed with Tagovailoa’s demeanor after a season-ending loss.

"I know that this is an ‘old man get off the lawn’ type situation where it’s old school," Watt said. "I am a believer that there is a minimum responsibility on the optics and everything with the fanbase, and understanding how everyone’s feeling after a certain game or after a way the season is going."

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"I’m not sitting here saying don’t laugh, you can’t talk to a friend or anything like that. I do think there are some optics when you are cracking up, belly laughing on the field after you just lost a huge game in that way to be eliminated from the playoffs. This is a look that doesn’t go over well whether it’s with certain other players in the locker room, ownership, or the fanbase. "There is a responsibility especially when you are the highest-paid player on the team and you are the leader of the organization. That is just not a good look truthfully."

The Dolphins have since responded to the loss by making a significant change at quarterback. Tagovailoa will be benched for the final three games of the season, with Miami turning to rookie Quinn Ewers as the starter beginning in Week 16 against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Zach Wilson is set to back up Ewers till Week 18, while Tua Tagovailoa will move into a QB3 role as the Dolphins shift their focus toward evaluating younger options.

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Tua Tagovailoa addressed his interaction with Jalen Ramsey on Monday

Despite being sacked by Jalen Ramsey during the Miami Dolphins’ loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night, Tua Tagovailoa appeared to be in good spirits with his former teammate after the game. The two were spotted laughing together on the field once the contest had ended.

Tagovailoa was later asked about the interaction and addressed it during his postgame press conference.

"Talked to him for a long time after the game. He wanted to talk. That’s my dude. Solid, solid player. Solid person. I enjoy competing against him," Tagovailoa said. "Wish the outcome would have been different, though, so I could have talked a little more to him."

Significant changes have followed that game for Tua Tagovailoa. Miami has announced that he will no longer start at quarterback this season, a decision that has fueled discussion surrounding Tagovailoa’s performance, the team’s direction, and its long-term plans at the position.

Edited by nagpaltusharn25