Every day, the biggest question of the Miami Dolphins' 2026 season is whether or not Tua Tagovailoa will be returning to the team or if they will be eating a lawn-sized garbage bag full of dead money. With Mike McDaniel gone, Tagovailoa's inside-the-building support dissipated.
Jeff Hafley and Jon-Eric Sullivan have been mum on the QB's future. Hafley, however, opted to promote Bobby Slowik to offensive coordinator, and that might be good for Tagovailoa.
The Dolphins' new OC still believes there is an opportunity for Tagovailoa to turn his career around, but will it be with the Dolphins? Will a new system help or hinder him?
Miami Dolphins' OC Bobby Slowik still believes in Tua Tagovailoa's ability to return to form
Slowik, along with the other new coordinators, spoke with the media for the first time since the coaching changes. He won't have a big say in personnel, but his voice will carry some weight. Here is what he said about the elephant in the QB room.
🎥 Bobby Slowik on if he believes Tua Tagovailoa can bounce back: "There's stories like [Tua's] all the time. You're talking about people that are at the peak of their profession... he can absolutely bounce back." (@MiamiDolphins) #PhinsUp pic.twitter.com/2TD5Xg3wPu
— FinsXtra (@FinsXtra) February 4, 2026
"Absolutely. I think Tua can absolutely bounce back. I think that's one of the great things about sports. "Bobby Slowik
If anyone on the current coaching staff knows what Tagovailoa is capable of, it's Slowik. The problem, however, is that Tagovailoa isn't trying to bounce back from a couple of bad seasons; he is battling something much bigger than footwork or release issues. He is dealing with the mental part of the game, too.
The biggest regression for Tagovailoa has been his drive and determination. It has been clear on the field that he has far more hesitation than he did in 2023. A hip injury at the end of the 2024 season also seems to have played a much larger role in the regression we saw in 2025.
Tagovailoa's failures last season can be seen clearly in many of his throws, specifically in his hip rotation on deeper passes.
That is what the Dolphins have to contemplate this offseason. The question shouldn't be "Can Tagovailoa regain his consistency?" It should be, instead, "Can he regain confidence in his own health?"
Slowik doesn't say whether Tagovailoa will be back or not. That isn't going to be his decision. All indications point toward a departure of some kind. In March, as an outright release, as a post June 1st release, or a potential trade. Regardless of how it happens, the move is going to be costly for the Dolphins.