Dolphins remain more faithful to Tua Tagovailoa than a Nicolas Sparks novel

The Miami Dolphins have made it abundantly clear they still believe in quarterback Tua Tagovailoa based on their latest decision.

Last offseason, the Miami Dolphins made some huge moves, such as trading for wide receiver Tyreek Hill and signing offensive tackle Terron Armstead. Those moves, along with the hiring of Mike McDaniel, former San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator, as head coach, meant that the team was ready to see what quarterback Tua Tagovailoa could do.

In 2022, when healthy, Tagovailoa showed he could be a great quarterback at the NFL level. The one area of concern was that he suffered two concussions.

Even with the injuries, the Dolphins still have huge faith in Tagovailoa, based on their latest move.

According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the Dolphins picked up Tagovailoa’s fifth-year option, which will keep him under contract through the 2024 season. With this move, Tagovailoa will be guaranteed $23.2 million for the 2024 campaign.

Dolphins pick up Tua Tagovailoa’s fifth-year option

Th Dolphins used their fifth-overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft on Tagovailoa, and it was a ridiculed move. After all, he was recovering from hip surgery at the time. In the first two years, Tagovailoa didn’t light the NFL world on fire, as compared to his fellow quarterback classmates in Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert.

But in 2022, things looked different. Tagovailoa was playing at the level football fans saw when he was the starting quarterback for the Alabama Crimson Tide. From his 469-yard, six-touchdown performance in Miami’s 42-38 win over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2, to his 382-yard, three-touchdown showing in the Dolphins 31-27 win over the Detroit Lions in Week 8.

On the year, Tagovailoa threw for 3,548 yards, 25 touchdowns, and eight touchdowns while completing 64.8-percent of his passes.

Tagovailoa was placed in concussion protocol three times this past season. In Week 3 against the Buffalo Bills, he stumbled when attempting to stand up after knocking the back of his head off the turf. The following week, Tagovailoa had to be stretchered off the field at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati with what was a confirmed concussion. Then, during the team’s Week 16 game against the Green Bay Packers, Tagovailoa suffered another concussion, which wasn’t confirmed until days after the game. That forced him to miss the rest of the season.

Just days prior to the start of the new league year, the Dolphins let the NFL world know that they still have the utmost faith in Tagovailoa as their franchise quarterback.