'Antsy' Tua Tagovailoa 'not concerned' about state of contract talks with Dolphins

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was caught without his thesaurus on Tuesday.

When asked about the state of his contract negotiations, he could have used one.

“I’m not frustrated,” Tagovailoa told reporters after the team’s initial compulsory minicamp practice this week. “I might use a different word… but yeah.”

Neither annoyed nor bothered was the right word.

“I simply want to accomplish something,” he stated, pausing and chuckling. “That’s all there is to it. I just want to get something done.”

The word “concerned” didn’t fully capture Tagovailoa’s feelings.

“When asked if he felt concerned, he responded, ‘Not at all. Concerned is not the right term. It’s far from accurate.'”

Eventually, Tagovailoa found the right words to express his feelings as he awaited the profitable extension from the team that hasn’t arrived yet. As it currently stands, his rookie contract’s fifth-year option is slated to pay him approximately $23.2 million in 2024. If no agreement is reached, Tagovailoa is poised to enter free agency next spring.

“I’d say I’m likely feeling antsy,” Tagovailoa informed the press. “I wouldn’t describe it as being pissed off. It’s just the way of the world, isn’t it? That’s just how things happen.”

On the one hand, Tagovailoa isn’t the only extension-eligible NFL quarterback currently awaiting a new deal, as Dak Prescott, Jordan Love and Trevor Lawrence are also. But on the other hand, Jared Goff signed a lucrative extension this offseason worth $53 million per year, and free agents Kirk Cousins and Baker Mayfield signed for top-20 money.

Tagovailoa told reporters on Tuesday that he sees the deals being signed at the position. Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson had already secured massive deals by this time of the offseason one year ago, although Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow didn’t sign their new contract extensions until late July and early September, respectively, in 2023.

“Yes, I am aware of people in my situation who are receiving pay,” said Tagovailoa. “Am I bothered by it? No, I’m not. However, we’ve had several discussions about this matter and we’re aiming to steer things in a direction where both parties can be satisfied,” he added.

Tagovailoa stated that he only wants the major news from his agents, Ryan Williams and Austin Lyman of Athletes First, not incremental updates.

“Every time, I don’t appreciate updates,” said Tagovailoa. “You don’t need to inform me about minor details, just communicate the significant points. Are we progressing towards our goal, or aren’t we?”

They haven’t reached there yet. However, Tagovailoa cautioned against interpreting the absence of a deal as a lack of progress.

“Significant progress has been made up to this point,” stated Tagovailoa. “Comparing to where we began, we’ve come a long way. However, one might question, ‘Why haven’t we reached a consensus yet?’ That’s the challenging aspect, it’s business. That’s why there are two sides trying to find common ground.”

The Dolphins currently have multiple balls up in the air, contract-wise. Tagovailoa’s top target, Tyreek Hill, might want to get paid again following Justin Jefferson‘s record-setting deal with the Vikings on Monday.

On Tuesday, Hill humorously remarked that Jefferson’s agreement was a “great day in the Hill household”, recognizing that it could result in another financial windfall for him. This comes after his last contract extension in 2022 when he was transferred from the Chiefs to the Dolphins.

However, from the player’s perspective, this scenario seems less stressful than what Tagovailoa is experiencing. Hill informed reporters that his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, is managing the negotiations this time, and he is trying not to stress about the outcome.

“His job is to be great at that,” Hill said, via ESPN.com’s Marcel Louis-Jacques. “My job is to do whatever I can to help this team win. Whether that’s a restructure, whatever that may be.

We aim to ensure it’s advantageous for both parties, and my goal is to contribute as much as possible to the team. Selfishness will not be beneficial for the team.