Tua Tagovailoa Reports to Dolphins Training Camp, Won't Holdout amid Contract Talks

Tua Tagovailoa will not try to force the Miami Dolphins' hand by holding out until he gets a new contract.

Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill told reporters Tagovailoa arrived to camp Tuesday and is in "great spirits" despite prolonged contract talks.

"He's very excited to be back in the building with the rest of the guys… still going through his business here even without a contract," Hill said.

It's unclear if Tagovailoa will actually participate in workouts or if he will be a "hold in," which has become an increasingly popular practice in recent years. Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love is not participating in their training camp while the two sides hammer out a new deal.

Tagovailoa led the NFL in passing yards (4,624) last season while throwing for 29 touchdowns against 14 interceptions. He completed a career-high 69.3 percent of his passes and made his first Pro Bowl team a year after leading the NFL in passer rating.

On paper, signing Tagovailoa to a long-term contract extension seems like a no brainer. He's the Dolphins' most productive passer since Dan Marino, and his accuracy makes him a natural fit for coach Mike McDaniel's system.

That said, not everything has gone as smoothly as the overall statistics would make it seem.

The Dolphins went 1-5 last season against playoff opponents, including consecutive losses to the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills that cost them an AFC East championship at the end of the regular season. Tagovailoa struggled mightily in Miami's Wild Card Round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, throwing for just 199 yards and a touchdown against an interception.

For his career, Tagovailoa has a record of just 7-14 against winning teams. His overall statistics take a nosedive in those games as well.

There is also concern regarding the Alabama product's health. He suffered a dislocated hip during his final season with the Crimson Tide and had two concussions during the 2022 season with the Dolphins.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the biggest gap between Tagovailoa and the Dolphins comes down to guaranteed money, with the team wanting to safeguard itself against potential injury.