NFL analyst believes another injury to Tua Tagovailoa would ‘raise questions’ about his long-term future in Miami

When Miami Dolphins Tua Tagovailoa is at or close to 100 percent, he’s proven that he’s more than capable of leading an offense of a very good team. Tagovailoa started every game for Miami in the 2023 season and helped the team to an impressive 11-6 record.

His passing talent is evident, as he’s led the league in passing yards, completion percentage and touchdown percentage at different points of his NFL career.

However, several injuries have been major obstacles for Tagovailoa throughout his first few NFL seasons. He’s played in more than 13 games just once, and head and hip injuries kept the signal-caller from playing in six of the team’s 17 contests in the 2024 season.

Pro Football Focus’ Ryan Smith thinks that if Tagovailoa misses an extended period of time once again with injuries in the 2025 season, it would “raise questions” about whether the quarterback is the right long-term fit in Miami.

“With a roster already facing depth concerns, the Dolphins can’t afford another season derailed by quarterback injuries,” Smith wrote. “Tagovailoa’s health will be one of the defining factors in Miami’s 2025 campaign, and another extended absence would raise serious questions about his long-term viability as the franchise’s $212.4 million investment.”

Tagovailoa’s poor injury luck might have cost the Dolphins a playoff spot last season, as they had a 2-4 record in the games he missed compared to a 6-5 record in the contests he played in. The Dolphins just narrowly missed the playoffs with an 8-9 record after they qualified in each of head coach Mike McDaniel’s first two seasons patrolling the sidelines for Miami.

The Dolphins were ill-prepared for Tagovailoa to miss as much time as he did last season, as they signed quarterback Tyler Huntley to start the majority of the games the star signal-caller missed. Huntley was a clear downgrade from Tagovailoa when he was forced into action.

Miami does seem to have learned its lesson and is better prepared for the possibility that Tagovailoa gets bitten by the injury bug in the 2025 season, considering it signed former New York Jets and Denver Broncos quarterback Zach Wilson this offseason. The Dolphins also drafted quarterback Quinn Ewers in the 2025 NFL Draft.

For the sake of Tagovailoa’s future as a member of the Dolphins organization, folks should be rooting for him to play in all 17 of Miami’s contests in the upcoming 2025 season. With any luck, he’ll be able to stay out of harm’s way.