January 4, 2026; Foxboro, Massachusetts, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) throws a pass before the game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Image The Miami Dolphins have said goodbye to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Reports broke Monday morning that the Dolphins would reveal their former first-round draft pick, and they confirmed it with a minute-long highlight video posted to social media with the caption, “Thanks for the memories, Tua.”
Thank you for the memories. @Tua ?? pic.twitter.com/qACg7pkrAh
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) March 9, 2026
The team also released the following statement:
“I recently informed Tua and his representatives that we are moving in a new direction at the quarterback position and will be releasing him after the start of the new league year,” general manager John Eric Sullivan said in a statement. “As I shared with Tua, I have great respect for the man and the player, and on behalf of the Miami Dolphins I expressed our gratitude for his many contributions both on the field and in the community during his six seasons in Miami.”
He is scheduled to be released when the new league year begins on Wednesday, but the move is earmarked for a date after June 1, primarily for accounting purposes. It’s going to be expensive for the Dolphins.
Miami will face an NFL record $99.2 million in dead money. Dead money can be split across two seasons.
Now it’s up to the Dolphins’ new brain trust, general manager Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley, to come up with a solution to the quarterback conundrum.
The Dolphins drafted Tagovailoa with the No. 5 pick in 2020, hoping he would be their quarterback long-term. He was the second QB the Cincinnati Bengals took Joe Burrow with the No. 1 pick, and was selected ahead of Justin Herbert, who went with the No. 6 pick to the Los Angeles Chargers.
In 2023, Tagovailoa was selected to the Pro Bowl after leading Miami to an 11-6 record and throwing for an NFL-high 4,624 yards.
It was the only season in which he played every game, suffering from multiple concussions and other injuries, including to his hip.
Nonetheless, in July 2024, the Dolphins signed him to a four-year, $212.4 million extension that would last through the 2028 season.
He fell out of favor last season, and former coach Mike McDaniel benched him for three games in favor of rookie Quinn Ewers. Through the first 14 games, Tagovailoa led the Dolphins to a 6-8 record and had a career-high 15 interceptions to 20 touchdowns.
Now where the Dolphins rotate at quarterback is up in the air. According to Spotrac, in addition to Tagovailoa, the Dolphins have two QBs under contract for the 2026 season. Ewers is a seventh-round pick by the Texans, while fellow 2025 draftee Cam Miller was taken in the sixth round by the Las Vegas Raiders.
Miller, a former quarterback at North Dakota State, was selected by the Dolphins from the Raiders’ practice squad in January.
Former second overall draft pick Jack Wilson, who signed a one-year contract ahead of the 2025 season, has become a free agent.
The Dolphins have the 11th overall pick in next month’s draft. Looking for a veteran free agent to play quarterback, Kirk Cousins, Kyler Murray and Geno Smith will also be released by the team on Wednesday.
“Going forward, our focus will be on building a strong foundation for this team as we strive to infuse competition throughout the roster and create consistent winners,” Sullivan said in a team statement.
Tagovailoa’s career at Miami ended with 18,166 passing yards, 120 touchdowns, 59 interceptions and a 68% pass completion percentage in 78 games (76 starts). He had a record of 44 wins and 32 losses as a starting pitcher.
He also ran for 473 yards and six touchdowns.
–Field level media
