BY ALANIS THAMES AP Sports Writer
The Miami Dolphins are picking up the fifth-year option on quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s contract, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press Friday.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Dolphins had not officially announced the deal.
Tagovailoa, who Miami drafted fifth overall in 2020, will enter the fourth year of his rookie deal this upcoming season and will be guaranteed $23.2 million.
The Dolphins have already informed him of the decision.
Tagovailoa set career-highs in passing touchdowns, passing yards and passer rating in a breakout 2022 season that included a couple of concussions. He led the Dolphins to an 9-8 record, a second-place finish in the AFC East and their first playoff berth since 2016. Miami lost to Buffalo in the wild card round of the playoffs.
As the Dolphins entered the offseason, general manager Chris Grier and coach Mike McDaniel remained consistent in their outward support of Tagovailoa, despite skepticism of the quarterback’s durability.
Tagovailoa missed multiple games in 2022, including Miami’s playoff game, with two known concussions, one of which briefly knocked him unconscious in a September game against Cincinnati.
Despite that, the Dolphins’ decision to pick up his fifth-year option shows their commitment to and confidence in Tagovailoa, and that they have little interest in exploring the free-agent quarterback market, which includes big names like Lamar Jackson.
Grier has also said that his quarterback’s injury history would not deter Miami from signing him to a long term deal.
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