Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa isn’t staging a holdout to secure a better contract with his team… yet. Tagovailoa is entering his fifth year in the league and as it stands, he’ll play on a fifth-year option that’s worth $23.17 million. Asked about the hypothetical situation where his quarterback does holdout, head coach Mike McDaniel told reporters he’s not thinking about it.
“You know, man, I would have an ulcer and a panic attack if I tried to forecast anything that comes to my plate on a day-to-day basis. I haven’t extrapolated in that way,” McDaniel said. “What we’re focused on is communicating with each other. The knowns are that Tua’s representation and our front office are negotiating a contract.
“As a player, Tua, and myself, as a coach, what should our focus be on? Right, wrong or indifferent, we’re going to be held accountable for the final product. The piper has to be paid, so to speak. So how can we make sure we’re delivering on what we’re bound and determined as non-negotiable this offseason.”
“For me to think, is that even on the radar for being a possibility of an issue?” McDaniel added. “I’m not worried about that being the case… I try to stay in my lane to do what Tua’s counting on me to do, which is to get him better in every way, shape and form.”
Last season, Tagovailoa led the Dolphins to the postseason while throwing for a league-high 4,624 yards with 29 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions. Miami has benefitted massively from the former first-rounder’s success, and now the bill is coming due.
Teammates advocate for Tagovailoa’s big payday
Having already secured his own extension, wideout Jaylen Waddle advocated for Tagovailoa to get his payday last week.
“Tua is my guy,” Waddle said on Tuesday. “I’ve been saying that for a long time. Without Tua, I don’t think I would’ve got the extension I got. So everybody is rooting for him. He’s our guy. Make sense, let’s get it done.”
So far in his career, Waddle, selected in the first round one year after Tagovailoa, has caught 209 passes from the starting quarterback. The duo’s connection has been a major part of the Dolphins’ success over the last three seasons.
Waddle isn’t alone in his calls for the former Alabama star to receive a hefty extension deal. Wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who is also on the hunt for a raise, also spoke about how much Tagovailoa deserves his check this week.
“Tua should’ve been paid,” Hill said. “I’ve been saying that this all offseason. I know we have a great front office and they are going to get it done.
“A lot of people are comparing it to the Jared Goff situation and stuff like that. But I feel like Tua is supposed to be up there with some of them guys and passed some of them guys, because just understanding his story and just the progression of how he’s getting better each year and how he’s carrying this offense, it’s crazy.”
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