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Former Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has signed a contract extension with the Miami Dolphins. The fifth-year pro inked a 4-year deal worth 212 million dollars, making him the highest-paid Miami Dolphin of all time and fifth highest in NFL history.
The deal follows a successful 2023 season for Tua in which the Dolphins finished with an 11-6 record, tied with the Buffalo Bills for best in the AFC East. Tua threw for 4,624 yards and 24 touchdowns and punched his first ticket to the NFL playoffs.
Tua’s Run With The Dolphins
Tua was entering the final year of his rookie contract. His 4,624 passing yards led the NFL and his 29 touchdown passes were a personal best. He started in the Pro Bowl for the AFC.
Quarterbacks have always been vital to a football team’s success, but the past two decades have seen their role increase even more. The game has become pass-dominant, with the run game taking a back seat. As such, the value of quarterbacks has increased, and so has their salary.
Tua has had his share of injuries during his first four seasons, but last season he appeared in 17 games. As a pass-first quarterback, the threat of injuries is no greater with Tua than any other quarterback.
With the numbers he put up last season and leading the Dolphins back to the playoffs the past two years, it was a no-brainer for Miami to resign the former Alabama star. The Dolphins have something to be excited about for the first time in years.
Miami Dolphins 2024 Season
Miami has not won a playoff game in 23 seasons. It is the longest current drought in the NFL. With a big contract in hand, Tua will be expected to end that drought soon.
The Dolphins will have 3 of their first 4 games at home to start the season. The road game is at Seattle, a weaker opponent that further solidifies an easy start to the schedule. A Thursday night game against Buffalo in Week 2 stands out as the toughest match-up in the early season.
The Dolphins have an early bye week, which means they will close the season with 12 consecutive games. They also play 3 out of 4 games on the road to end the year. Some of those games will be in cold-weather cities. The Dolphins ended last season on a 3 game-losing streak, and history could repeat itself if the team doesn’t improve.
With a big contract in hand, Tua will have to improve upon his 2023 campaign to keep the fans on his side. At this point, numbers won’t be enough. The Dolphins need to win in the playoffs or the Miami faithful will begin losing patience with their young quarterback.