Tua Tagovailoa says ‘exciting times ahead’ amid contract talks

Tua Tagovailoa still sounds optimistic that contract talks with the Dolphins will end with a long-term deal this offseason.

At the 2024 Pro Bowl Games, Tua Tagovailoa told reporters that he believed a long-term deal with the Miami Dolphins would get done. Two months later, the quarterback still sounds optimistic.

At the inaugural Tua Foundation youth football camp in Hawaii, Tagovailoa was asked by a reporter about the status of his contract talks with the Dolphins.

“They’ve been good. Right now, I’m letting my agent handle that,” Tagovailoa said, via KHON. “I’m focused on my family, I’m focused on continuing to better myself, better my craft, and we’ll talk more about that when that time comes. For now, exciting times ahead, that’s for sure.”

Tagovailoa, 26, is currently set to play the 2024 season on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract. The former fifth overall draft pick played a full, 17-game season for the first time in his career in 2023 and led the NFL in passing yards with 4,624.

However, he struggled late in the year, throwing two interceptions in both of the team’s costly Week 17 and 18 losses to the Ravens and Bills that handed Buffalo the AFC East crown. In the Dolphins’ 26-7 playoff loss, Tagovailoa completed only 51.3 percent of his passes for 199 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.

Still, it seems the Dolphins are moving forward with negotiations that would ensure Tagovailoa is the team’s starting quarterback for the foreseeable future.

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