It’s official! The Miami Dolphins will exercise Tua Tagovailoa’s fifth-year option guaranteeing him $23.171 million in 2024.
According to the team, the Miami Dolphins have officially exercised quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s fifth-year option. The news comes ten days after it was first reported that Miami planned to pick up Tagovailoa’s fifth-year option, fully guaranteeing his 2024 salary. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo first reported the news.
We have exercised QB Tua Tagovailoa’s fifth-year option.
Let’s go, @Tua! pic.twitter.com/SEFJSomQdK
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) March 20, 2023
Tagovailoa, 25, had the best season of his NFL career in 2022, completing 64.8% of his passes for 3,548 yards, 25 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He became the youngest player in NFL history to lead the league in passer rating — with a 105.5 rating — since Dan Marino led the league back in 1984. During his three seasons with the Dolphins, Tagovailoa combined for over 8,000 yards passing, 52 touchdowns, and 23 interceptions. His career passer rating of 95.0 is the highest in Dolphins’ history.
Earlier in the year, I gave my opinion on what the Dolphins should do with Tagovailoa this offseason. I believed that despite the large contracts other quarterbacks might receive, it was best for the Dolphins to pick up Tagovailoa’s fifth-year option and let him prove that he can remain healthy. Because, after all, the biggest concern with Tua at this point is whether or not he can stay healthy.
“Sign Tagovailoa to his fifth-year option and revisit things in 2024. Because, as of right now, a long-term deal will be massive for Tua, and you want to know exactly what you have before committing to a QB long-term. Then again, with every passing day, another quarterback gets paid more and more than the next. If the Dolphins are confident in Tagovailoa, even with the injury concerns, I say go for it. Or, as the greatest quarterback of all time once said
“Eff it, send it in!”
The Dolphins will now have their promising young quarterback locked up for at least the next two seasons. And for a quarterback who has had a revolving door of offensive coordinators over the last six seasons, Dolphins fans should be excited about what he will do in year two under Head Coach Mike McDaniel.
What are your thoughts on the Dolphins picking up Tua Tagovailoa’s fifth-year option? Can he stay healthy and eventually earn a long-term deal with the team? What type of numbers do you think he’ll put up in year two with Mike McDaniel? Thoughts on Mike White? Let us know in the comments section below!