Tua Tagovailoa was let go by the Miami Dolphins. He had a contract with the team, and the Dolphins have a lot of cap space in 2026. Tua Tagovailoa was cut, which set an NFL record for a dead cap hit. He is now a free agent. The Dolphins cut him after June 1, and he has a history of injuries.
The Miami Dolphins have officially let quarterback Tua Tagovailoa go. He had signed a four-year, $212.4 million extension with the team in 2024, but now he is no longer with the team. This post-June 1 designation frees up a lot of cap space and creates an NFL-record dead cap hit of $99.2 million, which will be split between $67.4 million in 2026 and $31.8 million in 2027. Jon-Eric Sullivan, the general manager, stressed the importance of roster competition in creating a “sustained winner.”
Tagovailoa was let go after a disappointing 2025 season in which he was benched and had trouble with injuries, including multiple concussions over his career. He led the NFL in passing yards (4,624) and touchdowns in 2023, which got him his only Pro Bowl nod. But he only played 17 games over the past three seasons because of health problems. The Dolphins had no choice but to make the expensive cut because the trade talks fell through.
The huge dead cap hit shows how important it is for Miami to start over at quarterback, even though it will cost them money. Tagovailoa, who is now 28 years old and a free agent, has great passing skills but a worrying history of injuries. Fans of the Dolphins get ready for a rebuild as the team looks for a new quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft and free agency.
