The Miami Dolphins confirmed on Monday that they will release quarterback Tua Tagovailoa when the new NFL league year starts on Wednesday, resulting in a record-breaking $99 million dead cap charge. This decision ends a challenging chapter for the franchise that began when Miami drafted the Alabama star fifth overall in 2020, marking a painful shift in their quarterback plans.
General Manager Jon-Eric Sullivan informed Tagovailoa about the release Monday morning, emphasizing the team’s decision to pursue a different direction at the quarterback position. The Dolphins designated the release as post-June 1, enabling the team to distribute the financial burden into two seasons — $67.4 million in 2026 and $31.8 million in 2027.
This surprising move arrives just a year and a half after Miami signed Tagovailoa to a lucrative four-year, $212.4 million extension, making him the highest-paid player in franchise history. That contract was intended to lock him in as the team’s future quarterback, but ongoing inconsistency on the field combined with durability issues led to this outcome.
Tagovailoa’s Difficult Final Season in Miami
The 2025 campaign proved especially difficult for Tagovailoa and the Dolphins. Despite leading the NFL in completion percentage in 2024, his performance drastically declined, marked by poor decision-making and increased turnovers. He threw a career-high 15 interceptions, fueling doubts about his reliability. Moreover, after losses to the Chargers and Browns, Tagovailoa publicly criticized his teammates, creating tension within the locker room.
The situation deteriorated further when rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers replaced Tagovailoa during the second half of the Browns game, after Tagovailoa threw three interceptions and recorded a career-low 24.1 passer rating. Miami ended the season 7-10, missing the playoffs for the fourth time in six years while Tagovailoa was their starter.
“Definitely not happy, not proud of where I’m at with my play,” Tagovailoa said after that Cleveland loss, acknowledging his struggles. ?Tua Tagovailoa, Quarterback
This honest reflection foreshadowed the Dolphins’ eventual decision to part ways with him, signaling an end to a rocky tenure.
The Path Forward for the Dolphins and Tagovailoa
With Tagovailoa’s release, Miami enters a significant rebuilding phase at quarterback. Quinn Ewers, a seventh-round draft pick, now stands as the most seasoned option on the roster. General Manager Sullivan has indicated plans to pursue another quarterback in the upcoming draft and possibly add a veteran through free agency, though Miami’s heavy dead money commitment will constrain their financial flexibility in acquiring new players.
For Tagovailoa, the sudden fall from being the franchise’s highest-paid player to free agent status is jarring. At 28 years old, he is set to hit the open market, able to sign with any team at the league minimum because the Dolphins remain responsible for his guaranteed salary. Despite the disappointing final season, quarterback-needy teams such as the New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, and Cleveland Browns are expected to express interest given Tagovailoa’s past Pro Bowl-caliber accuracy and arm strength.
However, concerns about his concussion history persist, potentially limiting some teams’ willingness to take a risk on him. Nonetheless, the desperation for quarterback talent across the league means he could still find a new opportunity elsewhere.
This decision also represents the end of the Mike McDaniel era in Miami, as the head coach was dismissed following the team’s underwhelming results. The franchise now faces a full reset, hoping for better returns from its next quarterback choice than what Tagovailoa’s tenure provided.
The massive $99 million dead cap hit underscores the financial hazards NFL teams face when committing large contracts to quarterbacks, illustrating how rapidly fortunes can change in professional football.
