Tagovailoa Thankful For "Life-Changing" New Contract

It was a mutual display of excitement as Tua took the mic before Dolphins fans at training camp.

Jul 28, 2024; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) talks to fans during training camp at Baptist Health Training Complex. / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

The timing was perfect. The Dolphins held their first open practice on Sunday morning at Baptist Health Training Complex and Tua Tagovailoa had just put pen to paper, signing the most lucrative contract in franchise history.

He ran out to the sideline bleachers where the fans - several hundred of which were wearing his jersey – were chanting “Lets go Dolphins,’’ while stomping their feet on the metallic floor. 

He grabbed a microphone and shouted: “Show me the money,” in his best Cuba Gooding Jr. imitation from the1996 hit movie “Jerry Maguire,’’ and received a thunderous ovation.

According to Pro Football Talk, the Dolphins showed the fifth-year quarterback plenty of money to the tune of a four-year extension for an average of $53.1 million per season (2025-28), a $47 million signing bonus and a guaranteed $147.171 million with a potential $9 million more in incentives.

“It’s life changing,’’ said Tagovailoa, in a post-practice press conference. “Words couldn’t describe to me how that feels. It’s unbelievable, but still I’m not going to say, ‘Hey, I got this money now let’s go and buy a private jet and fly to Vegas and use up the money.’ ’’

Coach Mike McDaniel shouted out, “Don’t do it!”

McDaniel said earlier that he was fired up for Tagovailoa and the entire organization.

“I’m happy, but I also expected to get it done, and now that it’s done, it’s about moving forward because it’s maybe a handshake and a smile, but it’s not a celebration,’’ said McDaniel, arguably Tagovailoa’s most emphatic booster. “It’s a cool point for the organization to move forward, but moving forward we are.”

Tagovailoa, 26, wearing Dolphins shorts, a white-T and flip-flops, expressed his gratitude in front of the media, his wife Annah, 2-year-old son Ace, 7-month-old daughter Mazey, brother Taulia, as well as Dolphins brass, including McDaniel, general manager Chris Grier, contract negotiator Brandon Shore, offensive coordinator Frank Smith and quarterbacks coach Darrell Bevell.

Tagovailoa thanked them all as well as team owner Stephen M. Ross, his teammates and Jesus Christ, but especially his father Galu, who drove him hard during his youth football days on Ewa Beach in O’ahu.

“I’m actually very grateful for the setup my dad gave me,’’ said Tagovailoa, who led the NFL in passing yards last season to earn his first Pro Bowl berth in his first injury-free season in which he played all 18 games.

“After school I had to do my homework as fast I could because once my father came home it wasn’t about school. Your mind better be ready to go for practice. If you didn’t practice a certain way and if it wasn’t to his standard then, OK, now I have to do extra work or we’re going to have a talk, that’s for sure.”

If Tagovailoa had a poor game at Saint Louis High in Honolulu, his father would force him to play with the older kids at a nearby practice camp, placing more stress on the teen to try to prove himself.

“I was more afraid of the standard set for me by my dad, but it’s helped me become who I am today, with how I see the game,’’ he said.

Tagovailoa was surprised on Friday when the deal was agreed upon. He said Grier knocked on the door of the quarterbacks’ room and he saw Bevell peeking in.

“Nobody’s saying anything, they’re just nodding their head,’’ Tagovailoa said. 'Is it done?' I grab a pen as a joke and Grier sticks his hand out and says, ‘Dude, we got it done.’ …The whole process had to be mentally draining for all. There are so many gymnastics to go through. It’s not just, ‘Here’s the money, this is what we can do.' We’re talking big amounts."

Tagovailoa knows that this contract creates stratospheric-like expectations to snap the dubious 24-year streak of not winning a single playoff game, let alone reach a Super Bowl for the first time since 1984.

“Now that all of this is done and behind us, we know how heavy is the crown, so, whoever’s wearing that right now, I’m the highest paid employee in this office so I got to get my whatever to get my guys moving in the direction that we need to go to do those things,’’ he said.

He added that he would trade making the Pro Bowl, his 101.1 passer rating or leading the NFL in passing yards and in leading the top-ranked offense for one thing.

“We haven’t won the game we wanted to win, go deep into the playoffs and win games that matter,’’ he said. “All of that is cool, but I could’ve had the worst passer rating and could’ve thrown for 1,000 yards, but if we were in those games and winning those big-time games and got to win championships, I’d trade all of that for that.”

He understands the fans’ frustration and hopes to change that to ecstasy.

“This comes with the business,’’ he said. “It comes with the position, whether you’re liked or not. You’re always going to have people tell you you’re the greatest thing or tell you you’re the worst thing. You have to believe what’s between your heart and your head space.”

Tagovailoa admitted he has never had a real job other than playing football, and he couldn’t think of what his first expensive purchase would be.

“I grew up in a middle-class family,’’ he said. “My dad was the only one that worked. My mom [Diane] took care of the kids. I’m very blessed and fortunate to be able to use football as my career path to help my family generationally with the kind of money I’ve been given.

“Everyone is talking about me collecting watches. I’m not a watch guy. Or clothes; I’m not a clothes guy too much.

“I’ll be able to do the things we need to survive. We don’t need that much money but to have that much money to take care of my family and my kids, and my kids’ kids and their kids, is very cool and special.”

With all that money Tagovailoa can buy the most expensive jewelry, but he certainly will do everything in his power to earn a Super Bowl ring.