Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has been running most of his NFL career, not from defenders, but from his detractors. Some of the negativity has been justified, but much of it has not. From mainstream media and local beat writers to a fanbase hell-bent on criticizing everything he has done, the Dolphins finally got an extension done.
For the first time in his career, the QB can sit back and not have the onus of his contract or future in question. It is done, finally. There have been some reports that Mike McDaniel spoke with Stephen Ross about the contract situation, and that may have played a part in getting the deal finalized. Whether that ends up being true or not isn't important. What is important, however, is the fortitude, attitude, and drive that Miami's "franchise" quarterback has within himself.
For Tagovailoa, it all started before taking a single snap in the NFL. It started the day he broke his hip at Alabama. The former first-round pick was, at one point, considered one of the top NFL prospects entering the 2020 NFL Draft. Many believed that had he not been injured at 'Bama, he may have been the first QB taken in the draft, No. 1 overall.
Instead, that went to Joe Burrow and Tua dropped to No. 5. The road to recovery wasn't easy for him, but he had no idea that a hurricane was headed his way and the injury was the least of his problems. Looking back at recent years, Tagovailoa was deserving for his $212.4 million extension for multiple reasons, which we break down in this piece:
Tua Tagovailoa was drafted to sit on the bench
Most NFL teams don't select quarterbacks early in the draft only to sit them on the bench, but the Dolphins did exactly that with Tagovailoa. Miami entered the 2020 season with Ryan Fitzpatrick running the offense.
Tagovailoa sat out the first five games of the season and made his debut against the Jets in Week 6 completing both of his passes for a total of nine yards. The following week against the Rams, Tua got his first start and was sacked immediately. The Dolphins QB would go 12-o- 22 for 93 yards. Miami won 28-17. A week later, he threw for 248 yards, two touchdowns, and completed 20-of-28 attempts in a win over the Cardinals.
Miami would win the first three games with Tua at the helm, but against Denver, Brian Flores pulled him out of the game late and replaced him with Fitzpatrick. The veteran would throw a game-clinching interception for the Broncos. Tagovailoa would go 7-3 as a starter, but spent the season looking over his shoulder at Fitzpatrick.
Brian Flores clearly held Tua Tagovailoa back
Tagovailoa's second year in the NFL should have been a step in the right direction, but it wasn't. He missed three games after getting blown out by the Bills in Week 2 and then missed another game in Week 9. Injury concerns started to become the water-cooler talk around the league and his play on the field wasn't consistent.
Winds started to blow that the Dolphins were looking to make a blockbuster trade with the Houston Texans for DeShaun Watson. Tua was on the way out. Reports of noticeable friction between Flores and Tagovailoa continued to grow and get louder, and at one point, it was reported that the two had a shouting match.
Throughout the year, when he was playing, there was clear vitriol coming from Flores. It was evident that the support for the youngster was non-existent. That friction carried over onto the field, and on the night of the NFL trade deadline, it all came crashing to a halt.
Reports were everywhere that Stephen Ross spoke with Watson personally to tell him the team was not going to make the trade. Tua was the quarterback, but it remained a question of how long. Even long after Flores was gone, his ghosts would linger with a report just this year that he lobbied for an entirely different draft in 2020.
Concussions were a nightmare for Tua Tagovailoa to overcome
When the 2021 season ended, so did the Flores era. Enter Mike McDaniel, a first-time head coach on any level. Quirky and nerdy, but also someone who saw what Tagovailoa could bring to the table. McDaniel catered his offense around the quarterback and set forth to rebuild the psyche of his young QB.
McDaniel wasn't in a position to argue with the Dolphins, Tua was his to inherit whether he liked it or not. So, he did what coaches do, he worked with it. Initially, it looked like a match made in heaven. Three opening victories to start the season including wins over the Ravens and Bills. Against the Bills, Tua was knocked to the ground and got up staggering. He remained in the game, but many still believe he was concussed.
Against the Bengals in Week 4, everything changed yet again. Tagovailoa was knocked out of the game on a vicious sack. His head slammed to the turf and his hands clenched in odd angles. He somehow managed to miss only two weeks. Upon his return, the Dolphins would end a three-game slide and win their next five, climbing back into the playoffs.
Then, in Week 15, he would suffer another concussion against the Packers. He would miss the next two regular season games and the first playoff game for the Dolphins since 2016. There was offseason talk about him calling it a career and retiring. He spoke with several neurologists and his family before deciding to return for another season.
Tua Tagovailoa proved his haters wrong in 2023
It goes without saying, but 2023 was an incredible turn of events. Tagovailoa started every game and led the team to the playoffs. He led the NFL in passing yards and was one of the most accurate quarterbacks in the NFL. Everything was finally working in his favor.
The naysayers couldn't let it go, and the problems that Tagovailoa had shaken off previously were not reassigned to things like beating teams above .500, beating the Bills, or not being able to win in cold weather. When things were going right and the team was winning, it was because he had Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill. When they were not, it was because Tagovailoa simply wasn't that good.
The offseason ahead wasn't looking good for Miami's quarterback. Questions were still being asked about his durability and his ability to lead the team to the Super Bowl. This time, not from the Dolphins fans or media, but apparently internal from the Dolphins themselves. Chris Grier dragged his feet and then wondered why Tagovailoa was asking for more money, market-type money. His road to being the franchise QB was now entering a fifth year.
Finally, the deal was done, and Tua now has the undoubted support of his team and coaching staff. For the first time in his entire NFL career, 2024 will not come with questions about his coach supporting him or the team giving him a new contract. Tagovailoa will be able to enter the season with complete support from the team executives, his coaching staff, and a $212 million investment from the Dolphins owner. It was a long journey to get here, and now it is up to him to rewrite the narrative and his own history.