Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa might be awaiting a new deal, but he’s not worried yet.
The quarterback, entering his fifth year in Miami, told reporters at Dolphins minicamp on Tuesday that he was “not frustrated” and “not concerned” by the lengthy contract negotiations; however, he admitted that he was a bit impatient.
“Just want to get something done,” Tagovailoa told reporters.
Tagovailoa, who signed a four-year, $30 million deal with the Dolphins after Miami picked him fifth overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, is due for a new contract that he hopes will reflect his success these past couple of seasons. In 2023, Tagovailoa led the league in passing yards with 4,624, throwing for 29 touchdowns with a 69.3% completion rate — all career bests for the young franchise quarterback.
The Dolphins picked up Tagovailoa’s fifth-year option ahead of the 2023 season, so the 26-year-old is still under contract with the team through this year, but Tagovailoa is eager to put pen to paper sooner rather than later.
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Tagovailoa said that there had been “a lot of progress” in negotiations, but the fact that a deal hasn’t come to fruition is a source of frustration.
“You can ask the other question, then: ‘Why aren’t we seeing an agreement?’ Well, that’s the tough part about it. It’s business; you’ve got one side and the other trying to work to meet in the middle,” the quarterback told reporters.
Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa said there’s been a lot of progress on his contract negotiations with the team — he’s confident that a deal will get done before the season.
Said he’s not frustrated, but he’s “another word”
“Just want to get something done. That’s it.” pic.twitter.com/yaizfs1JwI
— Marcel Louis-Jacques (@Marcel_LJ) June 4, 2024
Still, Tagovailoa assured reporters that he wasn’t concerned, or bothered, or any of the other words. Eventually he settled on “antsy.”
“Probably antsy,” Tagovailoa said. “I wouldn’t say pissed off. This is the nature of the beast, right? That’s how it goes.”
Tagovailoa’s urgency may also stem from other quarterbacks getting their paydays, including Jared Goff, who signed a four-year, $212 million extension with the Detroit Lions in May; Baker Mayfield, who signed a three-year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in March that could net him up to $115 million; and Kirk Cousins, who signed a four-year, $180 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons in March as well.
When asked about seeing other quarterbacks cementing their deals, Tagovailoa admitted that it was a factor in his impatience. “I’m not blind to people that are in my position that are getting paid,” he said.
“The market is the market,” Tagovalioa added.
Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill spoke up for him and his teammate Tuesday as well, saying that both Tagovailoa and himself are entitled to proper compensation. (Hill is also hoping to sign a new, lucrative deal with the Dolphins.)
“If you feel like you deserve something, go get it,” Hill told reporters. “Tua should’ve been paid.”
Hill continued, saying that contracts are an “investment” in a player’s future. “He’s continually getting better,” Hill said of Tagovailoa. “Last year was Pro Bowl, this year’s gonna be playoff win and much more.”
“Tua should’ve been paid.”
— Dolphins star WR Tyreek Hill on feeling like his QB Tua Tagovailoa and himself should be paid among the top players at their position. pic.twitter.com/lmzF8NCtv5
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) June 4, 2024
Despite a strong start to the 2023 season, Miami finished 11-6 and missed out on winning the AFC East due to a tiebreaker with the Buffalo Bills. The Dolphins were knocked out of the NFL playoffs in the first round by the Kansas City Chiefs, losing 26-7.
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