Dolphins' Mike McDaniel: Tua Tagovailoa's Contract a 'Cool Validation' of QB's Career

After the Miami Dolphins and star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa agreed to the largest contract extension in franchise history, head coach Mike McDaniel said he's ready to move on and start preparing for the season, but he didn't hold back his excitement.

"I'm happy but I also expected it to get done and now that it's done it's about moving forward," McDaniel said Sunday before practice, per Tom D'Angelo of the Palm Beach Post. "It's maybe a handshake and a smile but it's not a celebration. I'm fired up for the organization, really fired up for Tua and the work he's done to receive something like that. It's a cool validation of that."

McDaniel added that his reaction to Tagovailoa receiving the extension caught the signal-caller off-guard when they saw each other.

"My hug surprised him," McDaniel said. "You know because he spilled his coffee."

On Friday, Tagovailoa and the Dolphins agreed to a four-year, $212.4 million extension that includes $167 million guaranteed. His average annual salary of $53.1 million makes him the fourth-highest-paid quarterback in the NFL.

While he was waiting for his deal to get done, Tagovailoa participated in Dolphins practice in a limited fashion. He will now get back to preparing to help Miami contend for a spot in the Super Bowl this season. McDaniel said the 26-year-old is ready to answer the expectations that come with his big-money extension.

"It's a pretty hot place to be, quarterback in the National Football League," McDaniel said. "You get a lot of reps to see how people respond to things. That is the nature you should expect and Tua is very aware of that. They already have pressure and expectations for themselves. Tua has shown me throughout the entire offseason he knows what time it is."