Jets rookie Kiko Mauigoa primed to chase down Tua Tagovailoa on Monday night

Kiko Mauigoa, a rookie fifth-round pick for the New York Jets, could make his first NFL start Monday night when the Jets visit the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. With a lean linebacking corps entering the game, Mauigoa has been in the mix as a potential starter or key substitute. "I’ve met them — very good people," Mauigoa said of the Tagovailoa family. "It’s nothing personal, you know?"

Mauigoa is returning to the site of some of his best football memories—the University of Miami, which shares Hard Rock Stadium with the Dolphins. The Hawaii-born player grew up playing quarterback in American Samoa, a place that has produced a notable number of NFL players per capita, and Tagovailoa is of Samoan descent. Mauigoa has long idolized Tagovailoa, who led Alabama to a national championship before joining the NFL, and he noted that Tagovailoa's rise, along with Marcus Mariota's playoff run with the Titans, showed that players from American Samoa could reach high levels at quarterback. The Jets will rely on Mauigoa as they manage a thinner linebacker group late in the season, and the matchup presents a unique opportunity for the youngster to prove he belongs in the NFL mix.

Tagovailoa's steady play in Miami makes Mauigoa's potential assignment all the more meaningful for the Jets. If Mauigoa steps on the field, he will face a quarterback who has become a central figure in Miami's offense and a symbol of the Samoan lineage that runs through the league. The Jets enter the game looking to stabilize a defense that has leaned on young contributors to fill gaps at linebacker, and Mauigoa's path from late-round pick to potential starter underscores the team's assessment of his development and readiness.

American Samoa has long been noted for producing a high rate of NFL players per capita, and Mauigoa's journey — from quarterback in American Samoa to defensive depth for the Jets — reflects the broader trend of players from the territory contributing in a variety of roles. The matchup also represents a personal milestone for Mauigoa, who has said the moment is about football and not sentiment, even as he prepares to line up opposite Tagovailoa at Hard Rock Stadium.

That's the essence of Monday night: a rookie on the cusp of a first start, a veteran quarterback who has become a focal point for his team, and a coach's ongoing effort to maximize a thin position group through young talent.