Dolphins GM admits he completely missed the obvious in Tua Tagovailoa contract negotiations

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has been an enigmatic player ever since he was selected with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. 

The former Alabama quarterback had an inconsistent start to his career, but he began to thrive under coach Mike McDaniel in 2022. Equipped with the wide receiver tandem of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, Tagovailoa showed signs that he could become Miami's first franchise quarterback since Dan Marino.

Dolphins general manager Chris Grier rewarded Tagovailoa’s improvements with a four-year, $212.4 million contract extension this offseason. 

But just two games into the 2024 season, the quarterback’s career may be in jeopardy. Tagovailoa suffered a concussion during Miami’s loss to the Buffalo Bills on Thursday, sparking debates about whether the quarterback should retire. 

Dolphins GM said Tua’s injury history wasn’t a factor in contract

Palm Beach Post’s Joe Schad asked Grier in February whether concussion history would play a role in determining Tagovailoa’s contract length and guaranteed money.

“No,” Grier replied. “I think for us, every player deals with certain things. Even as you've seen this year, you look at all the quarterback injuries around the league and there are other quarterbacks and really good players that have had multiple season-ending injuries as well. The one thing Tua did was he attacked the offseason wanting to prove that he could stay healthy. Spending the time learning to fall, with the jiu-jitsu and stuff, it paid off for him.”

Although Tagovailoa managed to stay healthy during the 2023 season, it was just his first time starting every regular season game for the Dolphins. The embattled quarterback missed games in each of his first three seasons with seven total injuries. 

Tagovailoa sustained his most concerning injuries in 2023, when during the 2022 season, when two separate concussions put his health and career in jeopardy. During his collegiate career, he suffered hip and ankle injuries that required surgery.

Although Miami did a good job of keeping Tagovailoa upright in the pocket during the 2023 season, the likelihood of him missing games this season was always high. That’s something Grier and the Dolphins should have considered. 

Regardless, it would be shocking if there wasn’t language in the contract to protect both Tagovailoa and the Dolphins from this unfortunate situation.