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Marcel Louis-JacquesESPN
MIAMI — The Dolphins will exercise the fifth-year option on Tua Tagovailoa, sources confirmed to ESPN on Friday, locking the quarterback in well ahead of the May 2 deadline.
The NFL Network was first to report the team’s decision.
Tagovailoa set career highs in passing yards, touchdowns, completion percentage and passer rating last season, leading the league in that last one. He missed five games, including the team’s wild-card loss to the Buffalo Bills, after sustaining two concussions.
General manager Chris Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel have publicly committed to Tagovailoa starting for the Dolphins in 2023 on multiple occasions since the season ended.
“I think it’s important to recognize that we have a congruence of interest by the Dolphins and the player — Tua — that both parties really want him to play at a very high level for a long time for the Miami Dolphins,” McDaniel said in February.
Tagovailoa sustained his second concussion of the season during the Dolphins’ loss to the Green Bay Packers on Dec. 25. He was placed into the concussion protocol the next day and effectively shut down for the remainder of the season before being cleared in January.
His injury history didn’t deter the team from committing to the 2020 No. 5 pick, just as Grier said it wouldn’t when speaking to local media at the NFL scouting combine.
“It’s not something that is going to make us afraid to do something long term with him,” Grier said. “The one thing he’s had, he’s been banged up, but he always comes back and bounces back and plays hard and performs; so excited for his future.”
Grier also said the team does not believe Tagovailoa is at any higher risk for concussions moving forward, based on conversations its personnel have had with doctors and specialists.
Tagovailoa enters the fourth year of his rookie contract in 2023 and stands to make a fully guaranteed $23.4 million in 2024.
