Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins
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Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa reacting after an NFL game against the Cleveland Browns.
The New York Jets are turning over every stone.
That apparently includes Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo revealed that the Jets are one of several NFL teams “doing work” on the former NFL passing yards leader from 2023.
“Then there is Tua Tagovailoa. Sort of like Kyler Murray, in that, if he gets cut, he is going to be available for potentially the veteran minimum to come in and be a starting-caliber quarterback. So financially, it makes a lot of sense,” Garafolo said on “Good Morning Football.”
“Teams are doing work on Tua, from my understanding, the Jets amongst them, making some calls to get the fullest sense of who Tua is as a person. The Jets have multiple options when it comes to the quarterback situation. Tua, I believe, is among those, so let’s see if the Jets can keep him in the AFC East,” Garafolo added.
Mike Garafolo
From @gmfb on the #Vikings’ plan at QB and what it means for J.J. McCarthy, no progress of late with the #49ers and Trent Williams and teams doing work on Tua Tagovailoa, including the #Jets.
Dolphins Are Likely to Cut Tagovailoa
The former Alabama product is likely going to be released by Miami in the coming weeks.
“The odds have been overwhelmingly in favor of the Dolphins exercising Tagovailoa’s 2026 option at some point 10 days after the start of the league year and then releasing him as a post-June 1 designation. That will spread the $99 million dead cap hit over two seasons and make Tagovailoa free to sign somewhere on the veteran minimum,” NFL Insider Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports wrote.
The veteran minimum for Tagovailoa is around $1.3 million. If the Jets, or any team, went down this path, they would be getting a starting-caliber quarterback at an insane discount.
Impressive Credentials
Tagovailoa, 28, entered the league as the No. 5 overall pick in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft.
Across his six seasons in the NFL, Tagovailoa has appeared in 78 games and has made 76 starts. With those opportunities, Tagovailoa has completed 68% of his passes, has thrown for 18,166 passing yards, and has a 120 touchdown to 59 interception ratio.
He has been named to one Pro Bowl, he led the league in passing yards in 2023 (4,624), he led the league in passer rating in 2022 (105.5), and he led the league in completion percentage in 2024 (72.9%).
Some Baggage to Consider
Tagovailoa has durability concerns.
He has only started a full season once in his career (2023). Across his six seasons in the NFL, Tagovailoa has missed 23 games. The former Alabama product has a long history of concussions. They got so bad that he even briefly pondered retirement with his family.
The other problem is the Jets’ environment.
Tagovailoa was born in Hawaii. He went to college at Alabama. He was then drafted by the Dolphins, who play in Miami, Florida.
According to Sporting News, Tagovailoa’s track record in cold-weather games isn’t very good.
“40 degrees or colder: 0-6, 45 degrees or colder: 1-7, and 50 degrees or colder: 2-9,” Daniel Mader wrote on December 15, 2025.
If he were to play for the Jets, a large chunk of their season would be spent in the cold. That doesn’t appear to be a great fit.
However, the Jets are desperate, so any QB options will be considered.