How will Tua Tagovailoa’s decision to retire affect his contract and career?
13 september 2024 в 21:37
Since being selected under the number 5 overall in the 2020 NFL draft, former Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has had a mixed start to his career, but seems to have thrived under the guidance of coach Mike McDaniel in 2022. The 26-year-old player has shown potential to become Miami’s first franchise quarterback since Dan Marino.
However, just two games into the 2024 season, his career is now in question. Tagovailoa suffered a concussion during Miami’s loss to the Buffalo Bills on Thursday, sparking discussions about whether he should consider ending his career.
Here’s everything we know about how the question of retirement is affecting his contract and what the remainder of his season with the team might look like.
This offseason, Dolphins general manager Chris Grier rewarded Tagovailoa’s improvements with a four-year contract extension worth $ 212.4 million. Of this amount, $ 167.1 million is guaranteed, with approximately $ 42 million already paid out this year.
According to Michael Ginnitti of Spotrac, if Tagovailoa is cleared to play but decides to retire, he will forfeit the remaining $ 124 million unless a settlement is reached. However, if he is forced to retire for medical reasons, he will be entitled to that $ 124 million.
Ginnitti noted on X: «The other side of this equation gets a bit trickier. If Tua passes a physical next March, the Dolphins can release him, leaving only his $ 50 million 2025 compensation on the books».
He added that the $ 54 million owed to Tagovailoa for 2026 will become guaranteed on March 14. Releasing him after June would result in $ 83.6 million in «dead» cap space over the final two years of his contract.
Ginnitti remarked: «I assume players want to play. It’s all they’ve done in their lives so far. Despite this being his fourth serious head injury, I think Tua will be cleared to play by next March. This situation puts pressure on the Dolphins to either move forward (knowing that another $ 54 million will become guaranteed) or release him. Another option could be renegotiating the contract to provide the team with more protection if Tua wants to continue his career».
Last year, Tagovailoa told reporters that he had considered retirement after a series of concussions in 2022.
«I've thought about it for a while, sitting with my family, sitting with my wife and having those conversations», - he said. «But, truthfully, it would be hard for me to walk away from this game. With my age; with my son — I’ve always dreamed of playing as long as I can so my son knows for sure that he’s seeing his father do».
Tagovailoa added: «This is my health. This is my body. I feel like it’s best for me and my family. I love football. If it weren’t for that, I would have quit a long time ago».
Ginnitti told Front Office Sports that no player with a contract similar to Tagovailoa’s has faced a situation like this before. The closest comparison is Andrew Luck, who retired from the NFL in August 2019 without signing a significant new contract, but still left the Colts with over $ 16 million.
Luck, the former quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts, unexpectedly retired from the NFL in August 2019. His decision came after a series of injuries and disappointments over the years, including a particularly difficult calf injury that plagued him during the 2018 season and continued into 2019.
After his retirement, Luck turned down a significant sum of money. However, his decision, driven by physical and emotional exhaustion from constant rehabilitation and injuries, sparked discussions about player health, the pressures of professional sports, and the broader mental and physical issues that athletes face
However, just two games into the 2024 season, his career is now in question. Tagovailoa suffered a concussion during Miami’s loss to the Buffalo Bills on Thursday, sparking discussions about whether he should consider ending his career.
Here’s everything we know about how the question of retirement is affecting his contract and what the remainder of his season with the team might look like.
This offseason, Dolphins general manager Chris Grier rewarded Tagovailoa’s improvements with a four-year contract extension worth $ 212.4 million. Of this amount, $ 167.1 million is guaranteed, with approximately $ 42 million already paid out this year.
According to Michael Ginnitti of Spotrac, if Tagovailoa is cleared to play but decides to retire, he will forfeit the remaining $ 124 million unless a settlement is reached. However, if he is forced to retire for medical reasons, he will be entitled to that $ 124 million.
Ginnitti noted on X: «The other side of this equation gets a bit trickier. If Tua passes a physical next March, the Dolphins can release him, leaving only his $ 50 million 2025 compensation on the books».
He added that the $ 54 million owed to Tagovailoa for 2026 will become guaranteed on March 14. Releasing him after June would result in $ 83.6 million in «dead» cap space over the final two years of his contract.
Ginnitti remarked: «I assume players want to play. It’s all they’ve done in their lives so far. Despite this being his fourth serious head injury, I think Tua will be cleared to play by next March. This situation puts pressure on the Dolphins to either move forward (knowing that another $ 54 million will become guaranteed) or release him. Another option could be renegotiating the contract to provide the team with more protection if Tua wants to continue his career».
Last year, Tagovailoa told reporters that he had considered retirement after a series of concussions in 2022.
«I've thought about it for a while, sitting with my family, sitting with my wife and having those conversations», - he said. «But, truthfully, it would be hard for me to walk away from this game. With my age; with my son — I’ve always dreamed of playing as long as I can so my son knows for sure that he’s seeing his father do».
Tagovailoa added: «This is my health. This is my body. I feel like it’s best for me and my family. I love football. If it weren’t for that, I would have quit a long time ago».
Ginnitti told Front Office Sports that no player with a contract similar to Tagovailoa’s has faced a situation like this before. The closest comparison is Andrew Luck, who retired from the NFL in August 2019 without signing a significant new contract, but still left the Colts with over $ 16 million.
Luck, the former quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts, unexpectedly retired from the NFL in August 2019. His decision came after a series of injuries and disappointments over the years, including a particularly difficult calf injury that plagued him during the 2018 season and continued into 2019.
After his retirement, Luck turned down a significant sum of money. However, his decision, driven by physical and emotional exhaustion from constant rehabilitation and injuries, sparked discussions about player health, the pressures of professional sports, and the broader mental and physical issues that athletes face
© Smirnova Olga
