‘Heavy is the crown’: Grateful Tua knows he must now deliver playoff success for Dolphins after contract extension

MIAMI GARDENS — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa — or, better yet, $212 million quarterback Tua Tagovailoa — appeared relieved and grateful Sunday when he made his first comments since agreeing to his lucrative contract extension Friday and officially signing the deal Sunday morning.

But he’s also eager to deliver for the Dolphins and assure the team it made a worthwhile investment in him.

Tagovailoa, in the past two years since coach Mike McDaniel and wide receiver Tyreek Hill arrived in Miami, has led the NFL in quarterback rating and yards per pass attempt in 2022 and then led the league in total passing yards in 2023.

That, combined with making it through his first full season healthy last year, made it so that he could lock in his long-term future with the Dolphins before playing on the fifth-year option of his rookie deal this fall.

But now, it’s about accomplishing what he hasn’t yet.

“We haven’t won the games that we’ve wanted to win,” said Tagovailoa, speaking Sunday afternoon after the fourth Dolphins training camp practice, surrounded by family and Dolphins coaches and executives. “Get deep into the playoffs. Win the games that matter, that’s what I would say.”

The individual accolades were never at the forefront for Miami’s quarterback who is now under contract through 2028 with the four-year extension and is tightly tied to the Dolphins for at least the next three seasons due to the guarantees in the deal.

“All of that is cool,” Tagovailoa said. “I could’ve had the worst passer rating, threw for 1,000 yards, but if we were in those games and we were winning those big-time games and we got to go win the championship, I’d trade all of that for that.”

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Tagovailoa understands the expectations that come with being the league’s new fourth-highest paid quarterback in terms of average annual value on his second contract.

“Heavy is the crown,” Tagovailoa said. “Right now, I’m the highest-paid employee in this office. I got to get my — whatever — together. I need to get that right and get our guys moving in the direction that we need to go to be able to do those things.”

Tagovailoa was grateful Sunday — and certainly relieved. The last time he spoke with reporters, during minicamp while negotiations remained ongoing, it was a different tone from Miami’s left-handed passer.

He started Sunday’s media session by thanking the Dolphins, Jesus Christ, McDaniel, top executives Chris Grier and Brandon Shore, owner Steve Ross, assistant coaches and teammates.

McDaniel, Grier, Shore, offensive coordinator Frank Smith and quarterbacks coach Darrell Bevell were all in the room as Tagovailoa held his interview. As was his family. His son, Ace, adorably took the liberty to roam the room in a No. 1 jersey that read “Daddy” on the back as his father spoke.

Tagovailoa secured lifelong financial stability for his family with his new contract that consists of $167 million in guarantees.

Tagovailoa detailed how it went Friday as he learned that the deal was done after six months of negotiations this offseason between the Dolphins brass and Tagovailoa’s agent.

He said Grier, Miami’s general manager, and McDaniel knocked on the door to the quarterbacks room. Bevell opened up, and everyone’s silence piqued Tagovailoa’s curiosity.

“Everyone’s just nodding their head,” Tagovailoa recalled. “And I’m like, ‘All right, is it time?’ I walk up and, as I’m getting to turn the corner, I’m like, ‘Wait, let me grab my pen’ — as a joke.”

Then, Grier stuck his hand out.

“I’m like, ‘Dude, we got it done?’ ” Tagovailoa said. “I shake Chris’ hand, give him a hug. Give Mike a big hug. Mike squeezes me super hard.”

McDaniel confirmed from his recollection.

“I basically suplexed him,” McDaniel joked Sunday morning before practice. “I think I’m of unassuming stature, but when I get enough adrenaline and I’m pretty excited, can surprise some people with my leverage and my strength and my hug surprised him. I can tell because he spilled his coffee.”

Tagovailoa reflected on how his father, Galu, pushed him as a child to set him up for the success that made him a top college football recruit out of high school and eventually an elite NFL draft prospect that went to the Dolphins with the No. 5 pick in 2020.

“There’s been a number of times that, after school, I’d have to try to do my homework as fast as I can,” Tagovailoa recalled. “Because, once my father was home, it wasn’t about school. Like, your mind better be ready to go and practice, and when you practice, you had to practice a certain way.”

Tagovailoa recalls instances where, if he had a poor game in little league, he would get sent straight to a throwing camp in the pads he still had on from the game. His father would push him to throw with older kids.

“I was just more afraid of the standard that was set for me by my dad, but it’s helped me become who I am today with how I see the game,” he said. “I’m grateful for that part that my dad has helped me with.”

Tagovailoa finally got his deal done after publicly voicing displeasure it took so long during minicamp in early June.

“The whole process, I’m sure, for everyone, had to be mentally draining,” he said. “There’s so many gymnastics you have to go through. It’s not just, ‘Here’s the money. This is what we can do. We’re going to do that.’ We’re talking big amounts of money.”

The process even took him to the point of sitting out portions of practice. During organized team activities and minicamp, he wouldn’t do 11-on-11 team drills. He started training camp by only doing handoffs on run plays in the full team setting. He didn’t throw at all in last Thursday’s second practice of camp but then lit it up when he threw Friday before the deal was sealed.

Tagovailoa revealed Sunday that McDaniel played a big role in putting Dolphins decision-makers over the top in deciding to give him the money he sought.

“He went to bat for me,” Tagovailoa said. “The day that I went out and practiced 11-on-11, 7-on-7, he went to bat for me with our owner, and I won’t go into details of things that I heard were said. Just know, he is what he says. He said what he told me, and he did what I was thinking he would do for me — and not just for me — but for any other player. I’m very grateful for that.”

Wide receiver Braxton Berrios described how appreciative Tagovailoa’s pass-catchers are to have him fully participating in practice since he took care of his business.

“Now, you can just go play football. It’s no longer about business, and it’s about football,” Berrios said. “He loves ball. We knew, at the end of the day, we were going to have him. … There was never really a distraction.”

Tagovailoa might’ve described his feelings best: “I’m happy that we got this thing done. It’s unbelievable.”