Chris Simms Says Jarrett Stidham is More Talented Than Tua Tagovailoa and the Hot Takes Need to Stop

In recent years, NBC Sports' Chris Simms has entered the realm of infuriating hot takes, and quite frankly, it's giving us a headache. Unfortunately, the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback was at it again this week.

During an appearance on Boston sport radio station WEEI on Wednesday, Simms expressed his belief that New England Patriots quarterback Jarrett Stidham is a better player than former Alabama signal-caller and new Miami Dolphin Tua Tagovailoa.

“Tua is a creation of Alabama," Simms told WEEI. "You don’t think Jarrett Stidham, or, like, Justin Herbert, would have set the world on fire if they got to play with four first-round receivers and two first-round tackles?”

Simms' opinion stems from his quarterback rankings list heading into the 2020 season, where he ranked Tagovailoa 40th in the league, while his placed Stidham at the No. 35 spot. Simms initially stated that he could be wrong about Stidham, but he likes him because Patriots head coach Bill Belichick likes him.

Okay, then.

Let's be clear that Simms is wrong in his belief that any quarterback can succeed in Alabama's system. Look at Jalen Hurts. He was a very good player, but didn't light the world on fire in Tuscaloosa. Neither did Jake Coker or Blake Sims before him. We saw immediately how special Tagovailoa was once he entered in relief of a struggling Hurts in the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship.

As for Stidham, he did shine during his sophomore year at Auburn. However, his production tapered off in his junior season, resulting in a slide to the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

We won't know which quarterback will be the most successful in their NFL careers until they take the field this upcoming season and begin forging a path, but to say that you'd take Stidham over Tua at this time or any time is just scorching-hot stuff.