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The Miami Dolphins have informed quarterback Tua Tagovailoa of their decision to release him, the team announced on its social media accounts Monday (March 9).
"I recently informed Tua and his representation that we are going to move in a new direction at the quarterback position and will be releasing him after the start of the new league year," general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan said in a statement shared by the team. "As I shared with Tua, I have great respect for the person and player he is. On behalf of the Miami Dolphins, I expressed our gratitude for his many contributions, both on the field and in the community, during his six seasons in Miami.
"As we move forward, we will be focused on infusing competition across the roster and establishing a strong foundation for this team as we work towards building a sustained winner."
Tagovailoa, 28, previously said he'd be open to a "fresh start" with another team after being benched for the final three games of the 2025 NFL season.
"That would be dope," Tagovailoa told reporters during the Dolphins' exit interviews on Monday (January 5) via the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson.
Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212.1 million extension in July 2024, which is the largest contract in Dolphins history and was the third-highest deal among NFL quarterbacks at the time, after throwing for an NFL-best 4,624 yards and a career-high 29 touchdowns in 2023. But the former Alabama standout missed a career-high six games due to hip and head injuries in 2024 and threw a career-worst 15 interceptions while going 6-8 as a starter in 2025 before being benched for backup Quinn Ewers.