Saint Louis alumnus Tua Tagovailoa was released by the Miami Dolphins on Monday morning, making Tagovailoa a free agent and giving the ‘Ewa Beach native a fresh start.
Tagovailoa, 28, was the fifth overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Dolphins, spending all six of his professional seasons in Miami. His time with the Dolphins was marked with inconsistency and injury issues, particularly a handful of concussions suffered during multiple seasons. Prior to going pro, Tagovailoa's junior season was cut short by a fractured hip and concussion, raising question marks about his health before his NFL career even began.
Tagovailoa's long-term health was a topic of consternation beginning in the 2022 season, back when he suffered two concussions during the season. He showed flashes of brilliance in the 2023 season, playing all 17 games while leading the league with 4,624 passing yards. With his five-year rookie contract set to expire, the Dolphins signed him to a four-year, $212.4 million extension prior to the 2024 season that was set to keep him in Miami through the 2028 season.
In 2024, Tagovailoa was limited to 11 games as he suffered another concussion and also missed games due to hip soreness. Following his return, he stated he never considered immediate retirement.
Though healthy in 2025, Tagovailoa was benched for the team's final three games after throwing 15 interceptions in his 14 games. He went 6-8 as a starter, the first time he went under .500 as a starter in his entire career.
By releasing Tagovailoa from his contract, the Dolphins own an NFL record $99.2 million in dead cap money — $67.4 million in 2026 and $31.8 million in 2027. Tagovailoa is owed his entire $54 million in guaranteed salary by the Dolphins in 2026, minus the $1.3 million Tagovailoa could sign for elsewhere on a minimum deal.
On Monday, multiple NFL insiders reported that Tagovailoa is poised to sign a one-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons, though the deal cannot become official until the start of the new league year on Wednesday. The Falcons currently have just one other quarterback on their roster in 25-year-old Michael Penix, who tore his ACL during a Week 11 game against the Carolina Panthers on Nov. 16, 2025.
Both the Dolphins and Tagovailoa took to social media to thank each other on Monday.
In other NFL moves involving players with Hawai‘i ties, Kahuku alumnus Alohi Gilman signed a three-year, $24.75 deal with the Kansas City Chiefs. Saint Louis alumnus Marcus Mariota signed a one-year, $7 million deal to stay with the Washington Commanders, while Punahou alum Ka‘imi Fairbairn signed a two-year, $13 million extension with the Houston Texans, setting a record for largest average annual value, surpassing Harrison Butker of the Chiefs, who makes $6.4 million a year.
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Christian Shimabuku can be reached at christian@alohastatedaily.com.
