Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa described this NFL season as “fun and happy,” and not necessarily because he’s leading the league in passing yards and touchdown passes for a 5-1 team.

During an appearance on “Gets It,” Tagovailoa told Michael Smith that he’s enjoying this season “because I’m able to be myself and the guys around me are able to be themselves.”

And “being able to be myself,” Tagovailoa said, “it allows me to play free.”

The environment created when Mike McDaniel became the Dolphins head coach last season has helped the former Alabama All-American put behind him a persona of “people-pleasing type of deal, being like a ‘yes’ man almost.”

When asked for three things that he was grateful for – something Tagovailoa asks himself each week – the quarterback listed his family and friends, being able to do what he loves and “that I can be myself at work.”

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So who is Tua Tagovailoa? Tagovailoa said he “found that out” last year.

“Tua Tagovailoa loves to have fun,” Tagovailoa said. “He loves to joke. He’s a family man. I would say he’s a hard worker. It’s hard for me to talk about myself, especially when this is on camera. I would say I love hard; I love wholeheartedly. I’m very compassionate. I care for a lot of people. There’s a lot of things I care for.”

Tagovailoa and the Dolphins will square off against the Philadelphia Eagles in a clash of one-loss teams on Sunday night. NBC will televise the game at 7:20 CDT from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.