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Tua Tagovailoa, the Miami Dolphins quarterback who led the league in passing yards, touchdowns and passer rating, but sustained multiple NFL injuries and also regressed in 2025, is out.
The Dolphins announced on March 9 they are releasing Tua as a post June 1 cut, meaning a $67.4 million cap hit this season, $31.8 million in 2027.
Former Dolphins general manager Chris Grier signed Tagovailoa to a 4-year, $212 million contract extension in July of 2024 and it proved to be a costly mistake.
Tagovailoa, 28, has three years left on that contract. His dead cap hit of $99.2 million will be an NFL record.
Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and new coach Jeff Hafley will begin a new era with a new quarterback.
Tagovailoa was the fifth pick in the 2020 NFL Draft as Miami used 2019 to "Tank for Tua" and it worked.
But Tagovailoa struggled under coach Brian Flores before rebounding and making a Pro Bowl under fired Mike McDaniel, who helped boost his confidence.
Tagovailoa finishes his Dolphins career with a 44-32 regular season record, but no playoff wins.
Tagovailoa finishes his Dolphins career with 120 touchdowns, 59 interceptions and a passer rating of 96.4, but he also missed time due to concussions, hip and hand injuries.
Tagovailoa, a left-hander born in Hawaii, and of Samoan descent, was a fan favorite. At one point, his number one jersey was among the most popular in the league.
Fans chanted, "Tua! Tua!" as he, for example, once led Miami to 70 points in a game at Hard Rock Stadium against the Broncos.
The Dolphins pleaded with Tagovailoa to protect himself from injury. But Tagovailoa's inability to run, extend plays or consistently complete deep, accurate passes, was a downfall.
Tagovailoa's best moments usually included Tyreek Hill, who also has been cut this offseason.
Tagovailoa conceded he briefly considered retirement at one point, due to concerns about concussions. Tagovailoa also conceded that at 6-foot-1 there were times he had a hard time seeing targets.
Tagovailoa had a few press conference faux pas, such as when he tried to call out teammates following a loss, in a move that backfired with some of those teammates.
Tagovailoa's super powers, as his former coaches said, were accuracy, timing and anticipation. But defenses seemed to figure out how to exploit Tagovailoa's limitations, especially last season.
The Dolphins are in rebuild mode. They could turn to second-year quarterback Quinn Ewers. They could draft a quarterback in 2026 and/or 2027. They could add a veteran.
Tagovailoa joins Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Tannehill, Jay Cutler, Matt Moore, Chad Pennington, Cleo Lemon, Joey Harrington, Gus Frerrotte and A.J. Feeley on the list of recent Miami quarterbacks who ended their tenure with the club without a single playoff win.
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Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at [email protected] and follow him on Instagram and on X @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Dolphins release Tua Tagovailoa in franchise reset
Continue reading...
The Dolphins announced on March 9 they are releasing Tua as a post June 1 cut, meaning a $67.4 million cap hit this season, $31.8 million in 2027.
Former Dolphins general manager Chris Grier signed Tagovailoa to a 4-year, $212 million contract extension in July of 2024 and it proved to be a costly mistake.
Tagovailoa, 28, has three years left on that contract. His dead cap hit of $99.2 million will be an NFL record.
Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and new coach Jeff Hafley will begin a new era with a new quarterback.
Tagovailoa was the fifth pick in the 2020 NFL Draft as Miami used 2019 to "Tank for Tua" and it worked.
But Tagovailoa struggled under coach Brian Flores before rebounding and making a Pro Bowl under fired Mike McDaniel, who helped boost his confidence.
Tagovailoa finishes his Dolphins career with a 44-32 regular season record, but no playoff wins.
Tua Tagovailoa contract does not stop Dolphins release
Tagovailoa finishes his Dolphins career with 120 touchdowns, 59 interceptions and a passer rating of 96.4, but he also missed time due to concussions, hip and hand injuries.
Tagovailoa, a left-hander born in Hawaii, and of Samoan descent, was a fan favorite. At one point, his number one jersey was among the most popular in the league.
Fans chanted, "Tua! Tua!" as he, for example, once led Miami to 70 points in a game at Hard Rock Stadium against the Broncos.
The Dolphins pleaded with Tagovailoa to protect himself from injury. But Tagovailoa's inability to run, extend plays or consistently complete deep, accurate passes, was a downfall.
Tagovailoa's best moments usually included Tyreek Hill, who also has been cut this offseason.
Tagovailoa conceded he briefly considered retirement at one point, due to concerns about concussions. Tagovailoa also conceded that at 6-foot-1 there were times he had a hard time seeing targets.
Tagovailoa had a few press conference faux pas, such as when he tried to call out teammates following a loss, in a move that backfired with some of those teammates.
Tagovailoa's super powers, as his former coaches said, were accuracy, timing and anticipation. But defenses seemed to figure out how to exploit Tagovailoa's limitations, especially last season.
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Tua Tagovailoa news: Miami Dolphins career is over
The Dolphins are in rebuild mode. They could turn to second-year quarterback Quinn Ewers. They could draft a quarterback in 2026 and/or 2027. They could add a veteran.
Tagovailoa joins Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Tannehill, Jay Cutler, Matt Moore, Chad Pennington, Cleo Lemon, Joey Harrington, Gus Frerrotte and A.J. Feeley on the list of recent Miami quarterbacks who ended their tenure with the club without a single playoff win.
Fernando Mendoza at NFL combine: QB would love to learn from Tom Brady
Dolphins NFL mock draft: Projecting every Miami pick during NFL combine
Dolphins NFL draft first-round options ranked after combine week
Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at [email protected] and follow him on Instagram and on X @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Dolphins release Tua Tagovailoa in franchise reset
Continue reading...
