Tua Tagovailoa, the 26-year-old quarterback for the Miami Dolphins, has recently signed a record-breaking contract extension of four years, amounting to $212.4 million. This contract secures his position with the Dolphins through 2028, making this official confirmation synchronise with the sealing of long-term contracts for all first-round quarterbacks from the 2020 NFL Draft, such as Justin Herbert, Jordan Love, and Jalen Hurts. Of the contract signees, Love hold the highest paid position in the league after signing a four-year $220 million deal. Tagovailoa’s contract prompted some debates within the sports world concerning whether his performance in the field merits a top-tier income.
James Jones, ex-NFL wide receiver, during a recent discussion on “Speak”, expressed his discontent for players being remunerated based on their potential. While he is overjoyed for Tagovailoa and all athletes who receive rewarding contracts in the National Football League, he believs that the basis should be their performance and excellence in play, rather than future potential. Drawing on instances such as the San Francisco 49ers’ decision to pay Brock Purdy a hefty sum resulting to Brandon Aiyuk being pushed out, Jones emphasized the need for the owners to also invest in other players.
He further beseeched that owners should pay commensurate amounts to other players’ and especially to good quarterbacks who are middle of the pack, enableing higher pay for more players on the team. This insight left football enthusiasts pondering over the justice in contract signings and allocation of funds across the roster.
Nick Wright, on the other hand, voiced his disagreement with Miami’s decision to stick with Tagovailoa during his recent appearance on “First Things First”. While he appreciates the capabilities of Mike McDaniel, to Wright, the signing signified the removal of a performance curve that he believes Tagovailoa falls short of, given his contract value surpasses the $50 million per year mark. Wright also cautioned about the possible limiting impact on the team as a result of Tagovailoa being the appointed quarterback.
Amidst the swirling debates, one can’t forget that Tagovailoa had missed a day of training camp due to indecisiveness over his contract. His teammates however, have always been supportive. Players like Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill have praised Tagovailoa for his skills and techniques throughout the contract negotiation period.
Moving forward, this contract has made Miami Dolphins embark into their fifth year of partnership with Tagovailoa. Their ultimate objective is to secure another playoff spot following their defeat last season to the Kansas City Chiefs, who went on to win the Super Bowl Championship. In a world dominated by game, strategy and stakes, only time will reveal whether this partnership proves fruitful in achieving their lofty aims.
