The only thing more extraordinary in the spectrum of sports finances than the prices teams are willing to pay even mediocre quarterbacks is the prices teams are willing to pay to get rid of mediocre quarterbacks.
The Miami Dolphins have informed Tua Tagovailoa that he will be released. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the QB will be designated a post-June 1 cut, which allows the team to spread the salary cap hit from the move over two seasons.
The record-setting salary cap hit of $99.2 million in dead money, with Tagovailoa owed his $54 million guaranteed for 2026 minus whatever he signs for with a new team (likely the $1.3 million veteran’s minimum with the Dolphins on the hook for the rest).
That’s how much Miami wanted out of the Tua Tagovailoa business.
“As we move forward, we will be focused on infusing competition across the roster and establishing a strong foundation for this team as we work towards building a sustained winner,” new Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan said in a statement.
Miami is expected to sign former Green Bay quarterback Malik Willis as a replacement for Tagovailoa. NFL insider Ian Rapoport is reporting the deal is worth $67.5 million with $45 million guaranteed for Willis.
The Dolphins have five picks in the first three rounds of the upcoming NFL draft, including picks No. 11 and No. 43, with which they could potentially pursue a quarterback. It’s a weak QB draft class, however, so Miami adds a veteran to the mix in Willis with second-year QB Quinn Ewers the most experienced passer left on the roster after Tagavailoa’s departure.
The Tua Tagovailoa Story In Miami Comes To A Close
The 5th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Alabama, Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212.4-million extension prior to the 2024 season after passing for an NFL-leading 4,624 yards with 29 touchdowns and 14 interceptions the previous season. That deal immediately looked like a mistake as concerns of his mounting toll of concussions renewed when he was placed on injured reserve and missed four games early in the season.
In 11 games in 2024, he passed for 2,867 yards, 19 TDs and 7 INTs. This past season, his performance declined significantly as he passed for 2,660 yards, 20 TDs and a career-worst 15 interceptions before being benched for the final three games.
The Dolphins made two playoff appearances in Tagovailoa’s six seasons, losing in the wild-card round both times.
The new regime in Miami has been cleaning house, releasing multiple veterans, including high-priced WR Tyreek Hill, while setting the stage for a total rebuild.
Meanwhile, Tagovailoa now embarks on his own new chapter.
Multiple reports followed the news of Tagovailoa’s release with intel that the Atlanta Falcons are already pursuing the quarterback. It’s a logical landing spot — the New York Jets would make sense as another, in terms of Tagovailoa’s best chances at stepping into a starting job and staving off the veteran backup stage of his career.
Again, the dynamics of the NFL quarterback marketplace are without parallel.
One team is willing to pay a QB more than $50 million this year and take a $99-million salary cap hit the next two years to just make him go away, and within the hour another team is lining up to bring him aboard.
The second part of that is easier to understand, of course. The Falcons can get an experienced quarterback on the cheap to pair with Michael Penix Jr., who was underwhelming in his first two NFL seasons and is recovering from a torn ACL.
That is, unless they too get duped into giving Tagovailoa a fresh, lucrative extension.
And, really, would any such thing surprise anyone?
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