Dolphins GM noncommittal on Tua Tagovailoa as franchise QB

Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Change is here in Miami and it more than likely isn’t stopping anytime soon.

The franchise officially announced its new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley on Thursday in an introductory press conference where the two hinted at the direction they’d like to take it.

One key decision will be whether or not Tua Tagovailoa remains the team’s starting quarterback or even on the roster once week one comes around. Tagovailoa is coming off a career worst season when it comes to turnovers as he 15 interceptions and was benched in favor of rookie Quinn Ewers to end the season.

Unsurprisingly the topic of who the quarterback will be came up during the press conference.

“I have a lot of respect for Tua,” Sullivan said. “He’s a good football players. He’s accomplished a lot in this league.”

Tagovailoa, who has been the team’s starter since 2020, signed a four-year $212.4 million extension in July 2024 making the transition away from the southpaw all the more complicated when it comes to the team’s salary cap priorities.

Despite the sizable contract, Sullivan remained noncommittal on the future of the position during day one of his tenure.

“I think whether it’s Tua or anyone else, it’s unfair and irresponsible to sit up here and talk about anything specific before I talk to the player himself,” Sullivan said.

Tagovailoa previously mentioned that a fresh start would be “dope” possibly hinting that he would also want a divorce from Miami as well.

Sullivan did make note that the team will likely add at quarterback to create depth on the roster citing the history of his previous stop with the Green Bay Packers who have consistently drafted successors to their aging stars but also making sure the right pieces are around that player.

“We’ve all seen teams that go about it maybe in a questionable manner and you get a really good player at quarterback, but he can’t stay healthy because he’s getting killed, or he doesn’t have anybody to throw to,” Sullivan said. “So, yes, we will find our guy, but we’re gonna make sure that we’re building the infrastructure along the way so when we do find our trigger man, whoever that may be — whether it’s Tua, Quinn, or somebody that’s not in the building — we have a team that he can go play and win with.”

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Patrick Dowd is a Reporter for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter, via Pat_Dowd77