Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa expressed his willingness for a “fresh start” after being benched in the final three games of the season. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel made the decision to replace Tagovailoa with rookie Quinn Ewers after the loss to the Steelers in Week 15, arguing that Ewers offered the best chance of victory for the team. Tagovailoa spent the remaining three games as the team’s inactive emergency third-string quarterback. After McDaniel’s decision on December 17, Tagovailoa declared his “disappointment”, but that the decision was out of his control. He also refrained from commenting on whether he had played his last game with the Dolphins. His attitude changed during the cleaning of the team’s locker room on Monday, when he was asked if he would like a fresh start after the events of this season. That would be great. I’d be fine with that. Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212.1 million extension in July 2024, the most lucrative contract in franchise history. However, after missing six games in 2024 due to hip and head injuries, he had a down season in 2025 before losing his starting job to Ewers. He threw for 2,660 yards and 20 touchdowns against a personal record of 15 interceptions and recorded less than 200 passing yards on eight occasions this season, after having done so only six times in his previous three seasons with McDaniel combined. Getting rid of Tagovailoa will be costly for Miami. It represents a $56.4 million cap hit in 2026, and cutting him before June 1st would result in a $99.2 million dead cap hit next season. Releasing him after June 1st would spread that dead cap hit over two seasons, with $67.2 million in 2026. The Dolphins could also look to trade the NFL’s 2023 passing yards leader, but they would need to find a team willing to take on his salary. If he has indeed played his last snap for the Dolphins, Tagovailoa will leave as the franchise’s fourth-leading passer with 18,166 yards and 120 touchdowns. He would also end his time in Miami as the Dolphins’ career leader in completion percentage among qualified passers with 68%.
Tua Tagovailoa Seeks New Beginning After Being Benched by Dolphins
