Tua Tagovailoa brought a lot of Alabama fans to the Miami Dolphins. Rabid as ever, they rarely see what the quarterback does wrong. That is changing.
There was a time, shortly before the 2024 season began, when Tagovailoa walked onto the training camp practice field, grabbed a mic, and yelled "Show me the money" while rubbing his fingers together high in the air. The fans went wild. Tagovailoa had just signed a mega contract extension, and reports at the time said his actions were part of a dare or a bet of some kind.
The Dolphins quarterback isn't two years into that new deal, and it's uncertain if Tagovailoa will even be the QB1 for much longer.
Tua Tagovailoa's post-contract numbers have fans wanting a refund
There is a saying among kids, "No takesies backsies," and there is no way the Dolphins quarterback is going to give anything back. He is set for life provided he manages his money well. It's the Dolphins who are left with an empty bag.
Before he signed his deal, Tagovailoa posted a 32-19 win-loss record — impressive, considering everything the Dolphins have been through over the last decade-plus. The problem is that, while not much has improved on the roster, Tagovailoa has struggled considerably since signing that contract.
Since the end of the 2023 season, Tagovailoa's record has dropped to 7-11. Last season, he missed six games due to a concussion and a hip injury.
Miami's quarterback is not playing to the level fans expect, but more importantly, he looks nothing like he did in 2023 when the Dolphins were forced to pay him an extension most felt was too early.
The question now is whether he will remain the full-time starter this year. The Dolphins benched him for Quinn Ewers in a game that was lost and out of hand when the fourth quarter started.
The Dolphins can't release Tagovialoa in 2026 without eating $42.8 million in cap space. But unless he can return to the level of performance that earned him the extension, the Dolphins will soon face a tough quarterback decision.