Tua Tagovailoa News

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had his fifth-year option picked up by the team on Friday. Tagovailoa will be guaranteed $23.2 million in 2024 and is now tied to Miami for at least two more season. The decision to pick up Tagovailoa's fifth-year option shows a commitment from Miami to their former fifth overall pick in 2020. The two sides may work a long-term deal to extend Tagovailoa beyond 2024, but for now his short-term future is secure. In 13 games played last season, Tagovailoa completed 259 of 400 pass attempts for 3,548 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions.

As a result, Tagovailoa is in line to be guaranteed $23.2 million for the coming season. By picking up his option, the Dolphins are essentially demonstrating their confidence that the No. 5 overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft can effectively helm the team's offense in 2024. The 25-year-old is coming off a 2022 campaign in which he was hampered by concussion issues that limited him to 13 contests. Since the conclusion the regular season, however, Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN relays that Tagovailoa has cleared the league's concussion protocol, putting the QB in a position to return to football activities once the Dolphins re-take the field.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has cleared the NFL's concussion protocols. Tagovailoa had been in protocol since suffering his second concussion of the season in Week 16 versus the Green Bay Packers. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Dolphins are confident Tagovailoa will be 100 percent for next season. Tagovailoa led the league in multiple categories in his third season, including yards per attempt (8.9) and passing touchdown rate (6.3%). The No. 5 overall pick from the 2020 draft will celebrate his 25th birthday in March. Among the 47 quarterbacks with at least 100 drop backs this season, Tua averaged the third-most Passing Net Expected Points per attempt (0.29). He yielded 18.4 FanDuel points per game.

Tagovailoa was diagnosed with two concussions during the 2022 regular season, and the second one, which occurred against Green Bay on Christmas Day, ultimately sidelined him for the remainder of the campaign. In early January, Dolphins general manager Chris Grier said Miami had been told by doctors that Tagovailoa's recent head injuries won't leave him prone to more concussions in the future, so the team feels confident the Alabama product can still be a franchise quarterback moving forward.

The report notes that Tagovailoa, who had been named a first-alternate Pro Bowler, hasn't experienced any setbacks, but the Dolphins are proceeding deliberately with the QB, with his long-term health in mind. Earlier this month, GM Chris Grier indicated that the franchise will approach the 2023 season with Tagovailoa as its starting signal-caller, based on the belief (via doctors the team has spoken to) that Tagovailoa's past concussions won't leave him more prone to head injuries going forward.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is expected to return as the team's starter for next season, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Tagovailoa has a chance to return later in the postseason as well, but that would require the Dolphins to upset the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Regardless of how Miami does in the playoffs, they are reportedly happy with Tagovailoa's progress this season under Mike McDaniel. Medical professionals are also confident that Tagovailoa, who suffered multiple concussions this season, will be able to resume his NFL career. In 13 games, Tagovailoa completed 259 of 400 passes this season (64.8%) for 3,548 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions.