Details Of Tagovailoa's Franchise-Record Deal Are Revealed

PFT reports that the Dolphins quarterback could receive up to $9 million in incentives.

Jun 4, 2024; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) talks to quarterback coach Darrell Bevell during mandatory minicamp at Baptist Health Training Complex. / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

The details of this significant deal have surfaced a day after the Miami Dolphins made history with a franchise-record contract extension for their quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa.

Pro Football Talk (PFT) has broken down the four-year deal worth a reported average of $53.1 million per season, which has now dropped down to fourth-most among NFL quarterbacks after the Packers signed quarterback Jordan Love to a four-year deal worth $220 million or $55 million per year on Friday. Love joins Cincinnati's Joe Burrow and Jacksonville's Trevor Lawrence at the top.

Tagovailoa will receive a $42 million signing bonus and a $1.125 million salary this season. In 2025, he will get a $25 million roster bonus, a $250,000 off-season workout bonus, and a base salary of $25.046 million. To protect the Dolphins from Tagovailoa having to sit out games due to injuries, he will receive a $750,000 active roster bonus in 2025, 2026, and 2027.

In 2026, his base salary will soar to a guaranteed $54 million, and he will once again receive a $250,000 workout bonus.

In 2027, Tagovailoa's base salary will drop to $31 million, with $20 million guaranteed for injury. He will receive the offseason workout bonus and active roster bonus mentioned above, but a $5 million offseason roster bonus also kicks in.

In 2026, $3 million will convert to a full guarantee; in 2027, the other $17 million will vest. Tua again garners the per-game active roster bonus.

In 2028, the final year of the deal, he will have a base salary of $41.4 million, a $7 million off-season roster bonus, an active roster bonus, and an off-season workout bonus.

PFT reports that the deal includes $9 million in potential incentives from 2025 through 2028. Each year, he can get $250,000 for 50 percent of regular-season playing time, $50,000 for playing time in a Wild Card win, $500,000 for 50 percent of regular-season playing time and 50 percent playing time in a divisional-round win, or $500,000 for 50-percent regular-season playing time and 50-percent playing time in a conference championship victory; and finally $1 million for 50-percent regular-season playing time and 50-percent playing time in a Super Bowl title.

Tagovailoa's guaranteed earnings from this deal are staggering, amounting to $147.171 million. This is a substantial three-year commitment to Tagovailoa, with only $3 million in guarantees in 2027 if the Dolphins decide to release him. Even in that scenario, Tagovailoa's earnings would surpass $150 million for the three years.

So, the money average is still $53.1 million per year, but adding in 2024's $23.171 million salary, it becomes a five-year deal at $47.11 million annually.

It's not too shabby for Athletes First, the sports agency representing Tua Tagovailoa, and the 26-year-old quarterback.