ESPN’s Ryan Clark apologizes for shot at Tua Tagovailoa, while Dolphins coach defends QB’s ‘top-five’ offseason

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — A day after Tua Tagovailoa requested ESPN’s Ryan Clark “keep my name out your mouth,” the analyst issued an apology and Tagovailoa’s head coach doubled down on his defense.

Clark, who played NFL defensive back for 13 years, apologized in writing and in a recorded message.

“When I decided to do TV I had 2 main priorities,” Clark wrote in a tweet. “1. Respect all NFL players, coaches, executives and staff members. 2. Earn and keep the respect of those very same people.

“I do my best to be honest when executing my job as well as being honest when I fall short. I fell short on Monday and for that, I genuinely apologize.”

Clark said in a Monday segment on ESPN’s “NFL Live” studio show that Tagovailoa this offseason “wasn’t in the gym, I bet you that” and “was not at the dinner table eating what the nutritionist had advised.” He compared Tagovailoa, who bulked up 10 pounds this offseason in hopes of protecting himself from injuries that have plagued his career, to a stripper.

“I come from a Samoan family where respect is everything,” Tagovailoa said Wednesday. “But it does get to a point where — hey, little easy on that, buddy. Because I think we’re pretty tough-minded people, and if we need to get scrappy, we can get scrappy, too.

“I’d appreciate if you kept my name out your mouth.”

In his recorded video, Clark said that he intended his comments jokingly rather than in question of Tagovailoa’s work ethic and commitment. He reiterated his desire to operate with respect.

“Anything contrary to that, then I’ve got to check myself.”

Clark said initially his response to Tagovailoa’s comments about getting scrappy was “or what?”

“Man, I fed my family on violence,” Clark continued. “I ain’t tripping on that. But that’s the pride that doesn’t enable me to see what this dude’s going through. The constant criticisms, constant scrutiny, constantly being questioned, feeling the stress of always having to prove yourself just so you could prove to people.

“It was, what I can consider now, a bad joke. But for me, it’s been a lesson. I’ll be better.”

McDaniel, speaking in a Thursday news conference before the team’s final practice of training camp, didn’t directly acknowledge Clark or Tagovailoa’s comments. But he gave a lengthy response detailing Tagovailoa’s “top-five” offseason among Dolphins players. McDaniel emphasized that he (unlike somebody else, it seemed) could speak “hard facts that I’ve seen with my own eyes.”

“You want to talk about someone who’s committed to doing what he’s doing for the right reasons?” McDaniel said. “You want to talk about every metric that (head strength and conditioning coach) Dave Puloka and his strength staff tracks, which is pretty much everything to the degree of blinks? Every metric of strength that is measured, he’s shattered his previous highs. In some instances, he’s almost twice as strong with things. And that’s been a daily commitment that he hasn’t wavered from.”

McDaniel praised how his quarterback has “taken his nutrition to another level” and “really thought outside the box” on how to prepare his body. Tagovailoa said Wednesday he’d prefer to be lighter, but understands why this weight along with offseason falling practice in judo can help protect him from the career-threatening concussions he suffered last season.

“Basically you’re happy for guys as a coach when you can see in the present that down the road they’re going to have no regrets,” McDaniel said. “You know that, without any shade of gray, you’ve put your best foot forward. And he really has. His teammates would agree: We are getting the absolute best version of Tua that’s existed.

“I couldn’t be happier with the work he’s put in and what I’ve factually viewed from my own eyes.”