On Sunday, Tua Tagovailoa secured a four-year contract extension of $212.4 million with the Miami Dolphins, ranking among the NFL’s highest-paid quarterbacks. Nonetheless, critics such as NFL scout turned podcast host John Middlekauff have reservations about Miami’s massive investment.
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During his recent appearance on the Colin Cowherd Show, Middlekauff shared having doubts regarding the contract terms and commented that the Dolphins may have overspent.
Instead, he proposed a ‘middle ground’ approach and boldly questioned whether Tagovailoa’s on-field performance truly warranted such a sizable deal, especially when there were other potential options.
While discussing Tagovailoa’s skills, Middlekauff pointed out how he has no standout attributes in comparison to legendary QBs like Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, and Tom Brady. Furthermore, Middlekauff gave an example of former Chiefs QB Alex Smith, who made the playoffs a total of eight times, yet he never secured a market-resetting contract.
“Alex Smith never made Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, or Tom Brady money. But he was getting Harbaugh and Andy Reid to the playoffs, and there was value in him.”
Middlekauff particularly raised eyebrows at the $167 million guaranteed in Tagovailoas’s contract and questioned whether his performance warrants such a huge financial commitment, given his physical limitations. He also raised concerns about Tagovailoa’s small build and less athletic profile as disadvantages in late-season games against elite defenses in cold climates.
“His physical flaws are that he’s a relic—a true pocket quarterback, bad athlete relative to others.”
Speaking of which, Middlekauff suggested that a more cautious contract, similar to what the Giants offered Daniel Jones, might have been a better choice for the Dolphins.
As the upcoming season approaches, the extension of Tua Tagovailoa is seen as a double-edged sword. It can either serve as motivation for him to prove his critics wrong or, alternatively, the added pressure could impact his performance on the field.
That said, before John Middlekauff shared his views on the Dolphins’ QB, co-host Colin Cowherd also expressed discomfort with the Dolphins’ decision to extend Tagovailoa’s contract with such a lucrative deal.
Cowherd questions Dolphins’ $212 million gamble on Tagovailoa
While presenting his side of the argument, Cowherd compared Tua with Packers QB Jordan Love, who recently signed a similar deal with his team. However, Cowherd expressed more confidence in Love’s potential due to his size, speed, and arm strength—qualities typically sought after in quarterbacks.
Colin is also confident about the Packers’ track record of nurturing talent; for example transitions at the quarterback position and offensive schemes. In contrast, he raised doubts about the Dolphins’ consistency which led to concerns regarding Tagovailoa’s contract.
“I’m totally comfortable with Jordan Love. That’s my bias, whereas Tua is smaller, I don’t love his arm, and he’s not as athletic. Miami screws stuff up. The two of $212 million makes me a little uncomfortable.”
Moreover, Colin had concerns about Tagovailoa’s injury history and questioned whether his physical limitations justified the Dolphins’ financial investment. However, he did acknowledge that a healthy Tagovailoa could lead the Dolphins to at least 11 wins in the regular season.
All eyes will undoubtedly be on the Dolphins this season. Competing in arguably the NFL’s toughest division, Tua Tagovailoa will face a stern test as he looks to prevent a repeat of last year’s dominance by the Bills.
