Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley and Tua Tagovailoa’s 2026 offseason is in its infancy. However, there are big changes afoot, leaving little time to kick one’s feet up. Many fans believe Tagovailoa has played his last season in Miami. Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan explained their plans.
In a Thursday press conference, Sullivan and Hafley spoke about their plans with Tagovailoa, according to a video clip quote-posted by Dolphins reporter Marcel Louis-Jacques via Pro Football Talk.
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“Of course, we’ll be looking at other quarterbacks in this draft,” Sullivan said. “And every draft hereafter.”
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“I don’t know what the future holds right now, and I told Tua that,” Sullivan went on to say. “We’re working through some things. What I can tell you is that we’re gonna infuse competition into that room, whether Tua is part of the room, whether he’s not part of the room. … But we’re getting close to a decision.”
“Yeah, I don’t think I need to add anything,” Hafley said.
So, it appears Tagovailoa’s run as the franchise quarterback of the Miami Dolphins has run its course. While he is still in line to remain on the team in 2026, any speak or plan of a quarterback competition is usually the writing on the wall that this relationship is winding down, which raises another series of questions.
Exploring potential 2026 outcomes for Tua Tagovailoa
Tua Tagovailoa’s future with Miami could be shrinking by the day. As such, any number of outcomes are possible.
Miami could decide that it’s time to turn the page sooner rather than later, which would effectively put Tagovailoa on the trade block. If that happens in March, teams like the Atlanta Falcons or Arizona Cardinals could take an interest.
However, if Miami keeps Tagovailoa for another year and instead drafts a premium quarterback, a trade could happen in August or at the trade deadline. On the other hand, Tagovailoa could find himself as the lame-duck starter in 2026 and released or traded in 2027.
According to Spotrac, Tagovailoa will enter a period on his contract in which releasing him would save Miami money in 2027.
Put simply, the next few weeks will set up the next several months, which could set up the end of the year and thus set up the second half of Tagovailoa’s career. Tagovailoa has done what he could on the gridiron, and now he has no choice but to wait to learn his fate.
Edited by Ian Van Roy