Dolphins Face $99M Cap Hit Decision
NFL analysts are debating whether the Miami Dolphins will absorb a massive $99 million salary cap hit to waive quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. If executed, this decision would be unprecedented in NFL salary cap history and could completely reshape both Miami's future and the league's quarterback market.
- The potential $99 million dead cap hit for releasing Tua Tagovailoa would shatter the previous NFL record of $85 million, incurred by the Denver Broncos after releasing quarterback Russell Wilson. - Tagovailoa's four-year, $212.4 million contract extension was signed in July 2024 and includes $167.1 million in guaranteed money. The decision to potentially release him comes after a performance decline in the 2025 season, which included a benching in October after throwing three interceptions for the second consecutive week. - A significant factor in the team's consideration is Tagovailoa's history of concussions, with at least three diagnosed in the NFL and another documented during his college career at Alabama. He was placed on injured reserve for four games in 2024 following a concussion. - The Dolphins have already begun a roster overhaul, releasing several high-profile players, including wide receiver Tyreek Hill and edge rusher Bradley Chubb, to create salary cap space. These moves are part of a broader financial restructuring and rebuilding effort. - An upcoming contract trigger is a clause where $3 million of his 2027 salary becomes guaranteed on the third day of the 2026 league year, adding urgency to the decision. - To manage the massive cap hit, the Dolphins could designate Tagovailoa as a post-June 1 release, which would allow them to split the dead money charge between the 2026 and 2027 seasons, with $67.4 million hitting in 2026 and $31.8 million in 2027.
