Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa certainly does not sound troubled by the prospect of leaving the Miami Dolphins.
Tagovailoa spoke for the first time since the season ended Monday, and was asked if he was hoping for a fresh start. The quarterback responded quite enthusiastically.
“That would be dope. I would be good with it,” Tagovailoa said, via Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post.
Tagovailoa was benched after Week 15 and the Dolphins started Quinn Ewers for the rest of the season. Ewers may not necessarily be the team’s future at quarterback, but it is hard to see a route back for Tagovailoa after losing his starting job. He likely knows that, too, and is probably at least somewhat aware of the reports suggesting the Dolphins are ready to move on from him.
Finding Tagovailoa that fresh start might be a challenge. The Dolphins would have to take on an absurdly high dead cap number if they released him, and his $54 million guaranteed salary for 2026 is unlikely to be appealing to other teams. Even his coach seems finished with him, which cannot help his value either.
Tagovailoa finished the 2025 season with 2,660 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions.
