Tagovailoa lands largest deal in Dolphins historical past

MIAMI — The Miami Dolphins and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa have agreed to a four-year, $212.4 million extension, his company informed ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the biggest contract in franchise historical past.

The $53.1 million common worth of the contract locations Tagovailoa third among the many league’s highest-paid quarterbacks, behind solely the Jacksonville Jaguars‘ Trevor Lawrence and Cincinnati Bengals‘ Joe Burrow ($55 million).

The deal contains $167 million assured, eighth most amongst quarterbacks.

The settlement ends a fluid first two days of coaching camp, throughout which Tagovailoa was a restricted or nonparticipant. He practiced in full in the course of the crew’s third coaching camp apply Friday, hours earlier than information of the extension broke.

Either side had been negotiating a deal because the 2023 season ended, however the crew stored constant communication with Tagovailoa’s representatives at Athletes First.

Tagovailoa turns into the third quarterback to signal an extension this offseason, following the Detroit Lions‘ Jared Goff and Lawrence.

Since Dan Marino retired earlier than the 2000 season, the Dolphins have struggled on the quarterback place. Twenty-five gamers, together with Tagovailoa, have began a minimum of one recreation for the Dolphins because the flip of the century. Solely a type of gamers, former first-round choose Ryan Tannehill, signed a multiyear extension with the crew.

The expectation from the start was for Tagovailoa to finish that plight when the Dolphins chosen him at No. 5 in 2020, making him their highest-drafted quarterback since 1980. His profession obtained off to a modest, then regarding begin; his year-over-year numbers improved in every of his first three seasons, however he additionally missed 9 video games as a consequence of damage, which included two identified concussions in the course of the 2022 season.

Tagovailoa turned in a profession yr in 2023, nonetheless, main the NFL with 4,624 passing yards and setting a profession excessive with 29 landing passes. He grew to become the primary Dolphins quarterback to guide the league in passing yards since Marino in 1992, and his whole passing yards have been the third most in a season in Dolphins historical past (Marino: 5,084 in 1984; 4,746 in 1986).

Tagovailoa additionally performed in each recreation for the primary time in his NFL profession en path to being named the AFC’s beginning quarterback in his first Professional Bowl look.

Now in his third season with Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel and broad receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, the expectations for Tagovailoa are even greater — beginning with successful the franchise’s first playoff recreation because the 2000 season.

ESPN Stats & Info contributed to this report.