The Miami Dolphins selected quarterback Tua Tagovailoa with the fifth-overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft. In six seasons with Miami, Tagovailoa has reached major highs, including leading the league in passer rating in 2022, passing yards in 2023, and completion percentage in 2024, but he has also had major lows, including multiple injuries and being benched with three games to play this year. The 2023 Pro Bowl selection appears to be on his way out of South Florida, and it sounds like he is ready for a new opportunity.
The Dolphins’ 2025 season came to an end on Sunday, with players heading into the team facilities for closeout meetings and to clean out lockers. Reporters are also given an opportunity to meet with the players, getting one last chance to ask questions before the players head into the offseason.
According to posts on X from the Palm Beach Post’s Joe Schad and the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson, Tagovailoa was asked if he was “hoping for a fresh start” – with both Schad and Jackson stressing that they made clear they were asking about a possibility of playing for a new team in 2026 – and Tagovailoa responded, “That would be dope. I would be good with it.”
Tagovailoa has thrown for 18,166 yards with 120 touchdowns and 59 interceptions in his career, giving him a 96.4 passer rating. He is fourth in yards and touchdowns, trailing Dan Marino, Bob Griese, and Ryan Tannehill, while having the best passer rating in team history.
Everything fell apart for Tagovailoa this year, however, as he struggled to find the anticipation and accuracy that were his strengths in the past. His footwork seemed off, and he never looked comfortable in the pocket. He was leading the NFL in interceptions prior to his being moved to the third-string position on the depth chart, with rookie Quinn Ewers taking over the starting role.
Whether Tagovailoa gets a fresh start with a new team or remains in Miami for 2026 is yet to be determined. The sides agreed to a four-year, $212.4 million contract in July 2024 with $56 million in salary guaranteed for the 2026 season. If Miami were to release him, they would be on the hook for $99.2 million in dead money against the salary cap, with the acceleration of prorated signing bonus money adding to the guarantees.
The Dolphins could look to designate Tagovailoa a post-June 1 cut, which would allow them to defer some of the dead money into the 2027 salary cap. They could also elect to keep him on the roster, holding an open competition for the starting role in the summer, or simply make him a highly-paid backup for the year, rather than absorbing a massive cap hit for him not being on the team.
A lot has yet to be decided when it comes to Tagovailoa’s future in Miami – but it sounds like the quarterback is starting to look toward not being with the Dolphins anymore.
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