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Dolphins team broadcaster shared his true feelings on Tua Tagovailoa
Prior to the 2024 season, the Miami Dolphins signed quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to a four-year, $212.4 million extension. As negotiations were ongoing, general manager Chris Grier told the Miami media, “The goal is to have him here long term playing at a high level.” Two years later, Chris Grier is no longer the general manager and Tagovailoa is not expected to be the Dolphins’ quarterback.
Since the extension, nearly everything that could have gone wrong for the Dolphins has. In Week 2 of the 2024 season, Tagovailoa suffered a concussion, after previously suffering concussions in the 2022 season. The concussion forced him to go on injured reserve, and then later in the season Tagovailoa would suffer another hip injury, to the same hip that ended his college career at Alabama. As a result, Miami had its first losing season since 2019.
In 2025, things did not fare better for the Dolphins. Tagovailoa was able to stay healthy, but his play was his worst since his rookie season. His QBR was the lowest of his career, and his passer rating was his worst since 2020. The Dolphins benched him after a Week 15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, on Monday Night Football, seemingly ending his tenure in Miami.
Now, members of the Dolphins organization have begun sharing their true feelings regarding the quarterback.
Former Miami Dolphins Player Sounds Off on Tua Tagovailoa
Kim Bokamper, a former Dolphins linebacker and current team broadcaster, gave his thoughts on Tua Tagovailoa. He said, “I don’t want to see him back… he had nothing to give [in 2025] – can’t run, mishandles the ball a lot – even when he does run, he doesn’t know where the 1st-down marker is. He’s got no awareness.”
Bokamper is not alone with those feelings on Tagovailoa. Previously, Miami Herald writer Omar Kelly reported that owner Stephen Ross no longer wanted Tagovailoa as the Dolphins’ starting quarterback.
Whether injuries played a role in Tagovailoa’s decline remains unclear. The quarterback stated that he is hoping for a fresh start elsewhere as well, as the relationship with the Dolphins has seemingly run its course.
Options at Quarterback for Miami
If the Dolphins are looking for a quarterback with a different skill set than Tagovailoa, free agent Malik Willis could be an option. Although inexperienced, Willis has a running ability that Tagovailoa never had, even prior to the injuries. Additionally, Willis is known for his arm strength, which offers a different skill set from Tagovailoa.
What Tua Tagovailoa excelled at was throwing in rhythm and making accurate throws, whether someone like Willis can function at that level remains to be seen. Financially, it remains difficult to move Tagovailoa as he carries a $56 million cap hit, although it seems increasingly likely the Dolphins will absorb that cap hit in order to move on from the former Pro Bowl quarterback.
Miami’s general manager has yet to publicly state whether the team will move on from Tagovailoa, as he stated he wanted to have those conversations with him first. However, he did say that the team could bring in competition via the free agent market.
Jose Esquer Jose Esquer is a Mexican-American sportswriter and communications student based in San Diego, CA. His work spans football, basketball, baseball, and soccer. He has written for platforms like RotoWire and DolphinsTalk. You can find him on Twitter/X @JEsquer8, usually talking Dolphins, world football, or both. More about Jose Esquer
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