There was a lot of drama surrounding Tua Tagovailoa’s contract situation in 2024, as many doubted whether the Miami Dolphins should offer a big-money deal due to health concerns.
The Dolphins ultimately signed their starting quarterback to a blockbuster deal and showed faith in him despite the outside noise.
Miami Dolphins, Tua Tagovailoa Land on 4-Year Extension
Tagovailoa agreed to a four-year, $212.4 million extension in July 2024. But the important number is the guaranteed money total, a robust $167 million guaranteed.
That means Tagovailoa will be under contract through the 2028 season, and will probably be on the roster through at least 2027. Assuming the reported contract numbers are accurate, all but the final year are largely guaranteed.
“I just wanted to say I agreed to a contract extension with the Miami Dolphins,” Tagovailoa said on Instagram. “I want to give a big shoutout to [Dolphins owner Stephen] Ross. I want to thank Chris Grier, Brandon Shore for working endlessly on this deal.
“I want to thank Mike McDaniel for believing in me. I want to thank all my other coaches as well.”
Tagovailoa also thanked his teammates “for believing in me, for also supporting me throughout this process.”
BREAKING: Tua Tagovailoa has agreed to the largest 4-year extension in NFL history worth $212.4M / $167M Guaranteed 🚨#StraightFromTheSource#GoatFarmMedia pic.twitter.com/FPUTFylBLa
— G.O.A.T. Farm Sports (@GOATfarmmedia)
At the time, Tagovailoa became the third-highest-paid player in NFL history on an AAV basis behind the Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Burrow and the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence. Both signed deals in the last 12 months that pay them $55 million annually.
The agreement ends an at-times contentious negotiation that dragged on for more than a year.
Tagovailoa had staged a hold-in for the first two days of the Dolphins’ minicamp, practicing some on Wednesday but not at all on Thursday, as a leverage play to get this deal past the finish line.
READ MORE: Who Are the NFL’s Highest-Paid Quarterbacks?
After a tough 2024 campaign, Tagovailoa now gets ready for a massive season of his career. If the Dolphins fail to make the playoffs in 2025, both he and his head coach could be shipped out of Miami.
Previewing Bears vs. Dolphins Week 1 Preseason Game
The Dolphins begin the 2025 NFL campaign with a preseason game against the Chicago Bears. Tagovailoa and co. are not seen as a Super Bowl contender this year, but they have enough talented players to change that narrative.
Tyreek Hill expressed his desire to leave the Dolphins at the end of last season, but he is staying with the franchise. However, he still has a long way to go to repair his relationship with the rest of his teammates.
As for the Bears, they are gearing up for a new era under Ben Johnson. The first-year head coach is under a lot of pressure to get the best out of Caleb Williams, and how the HC-QB duo will perform remains to be seen.
The Bears are part of arguably the best division in football, the NFC North. As a result, they have to hit the ground running, and it all starts in preseason Week 1 against the Dolphins.
