After months of trying, the Dolphins and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa have worked out a new deal.
We’ve gotten a look at the full details. If you read this item, you will, too.
Here’s everything in the four-year extension, and five-year total contract:
1. Signing bonus: $42 million.
2. 2024 base salary: $1.125 million, fully guaranteed.
3. 2025 offseason roster bonus: $25 million, fully guaranteed.
4. 2025 offseason workout bonus: $250,000.
5. 2025 base salary: $25.046 million, fully guaranteed.
6. 2025 per-game active roster bonus: $750,000, total.
7. 2026 offseason workout bonus: $250,000.
8. 2026 base salary: $54 million, guaranteed for injury and fully guaranteed in 2025.
9. 2026 per-game active roster bonus: $750,000, total.
10. 2027 offseason workout bonus: $250,000.
11. 2027 offseason roster bonus: $5 million.
12. 2027 base salary: $31 million, $20 million of which is guaranteed for injury. In 2026, $3 million converts to a full guarantee. In 2027, the other $17 million vests.
13. 2027 per-game active roster bonus: $750,000, total.
14. 2028 offseason workout bonus: $250,000.
15. 2028 offseason roster bonus: $7 million.
16. 2028 base salary: $41.4 million.
17. 2028 per-game active roster bonus: $750,000, total.
The deal also includes $9 million in potential incentives, for 2025 through 2028. Each year, he can get: (1) $250,000 for 50-percent regular-season playing time and 50-percent playing time in a wild-card win; (2) $500,000 for 50-percent regular-season playing time and 50-percent playing time in a divisional-round win; (3) $500,000 for 50-percent regular-season playing time and 50-percent playing time in a conference championship win; and (4) $1 million for 50-percent regular-season playing time and 50-percent playing time in a Super Bowl win.
The contract has $93.171 million fully guaranteed at signing, and a practical guarantee of $147.171 million, since another $54 million due in 2026 vests in 2025.
It’s a three-year commitment to Tua, with only $3 million in guarantees that would linger into 2027, if the Dolphins decide to move on.
Still, if they do move on, he’d end up with more than $150 million for those three years.
The new-money average is $53.1 million. Adding in the existing $23.171 million salary for 2024, and it’s a five-year deal with a value from signing of $47.11 million per year.