Hats off to Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who secured a massive contract from his team. The fifth-year quarterback agreed to a new deal on Friday, making him one of the highest-paid players in the history of the NFL. He pulled in $212.4 million over the next four years. He won't be as paid as Joe Burrow or Trevor Lawerence, but he's up there.
This comes after four up-and-down years with the Dolphins. Injuries and modest play had many concerned about his long-term sustainability with the club, but the new deal comes at a time when he's put together two strong seasons back to back. Part of that is due to the arrival of Tyreke Hill and Jaylen Waddle, so questions are still being asked about his actual value as a quarterback.
If he loses Hill and Waddle, can he still up up 4,000 yards passing? It's numbers he didn't do before their arrival. A lot of people believe that his duo of 1,000-yard receivers is the reason for his success. Maybe true, probably not, however.
Yet, it's a stigma that unfortunately does exist. Some do believe that he's made by the likes of Hill. Yet, one player that isn't made by his receivers is C.J. Stroud. The second-year quarterback for the Houston Texans dominated as a rookie and is seen as the reason why Nico Collins had the breakout season he did. Stroud's play is also why so many are high on Tank Dell.
The feeling in and around Houston is that Stroud is elevating those around him. If that's true, then it's very likely that after this season Stroud not only surpass Tagovailoa's contract but that he goes on to set a new benchmark for quarterbacks everywhere. It's beyond likely that he hit the absurd amount of $60 million per year.
Especially if he takes the Texans to the Super Bowl. Even if he falls a bit short, as long as he's producing at or over the level he did in 2023, it's very likely his next contract dwarfs that of Tagovailoa and others.