Tua Tagovailoa and Josh Allen were top-10 draft picks, but now in his sixth season, Miami’s starter admitted that Allen outperforms him in almost every aspect of the game. “He’s top tier,” Tua said of Allen. “…I can’t do half of what he does when it comes to running the ball and any of that, and then with how he can just chuck a ball down the field with how far and the arm strength that he has.”

But if you look at how much the Dolphins are paying Tua, it’s surprisingly close to what the Bills are paying Allen. Tua pulls in an average of about $53 million per year, while Allen makes around $55 million. The difference? Performance-wise, Allen is cruising at 3-0 in 2025, and Tua is still stuck at 0-3, which, of course, naturally raises a question: Can Miami trade its starter? Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk isn’t buying that.

“The problem is $53.1 million per year new money average contract they gave to Tua in 2024 had a three-year full guarantee. Three years,” Florio noted. “So they are stuck financially with Tua through 2026. They don’t have to play him, but you’re stuck with him. And what are you gonna do? Do you cut him? Do you trade him? Who’s going to trade for the contract? You’re going to have to eat a lot of that money. That’s a contract that never should have been given to him.”

Florio wasn’t trying to take a cheap shot at Tua Tagovailoa; he even said he meant no disrespect. But the fact that the 27-year-old himself openly praised Allen and seemed in awe of him just highlighted the contrast. Allen’s talent and tools put him in the best of the best category, while Florio’s saying Tua, despite the big contract, simply doesn’t belong in that tier based on how he’s playing.

“Plenty of people would love to play in the National Football League,” he added. “Their skills and abilities prevent them from doing it. And some of the guys who have made it to the NFL, their skills and abilities prevent them from being among the best of the best. And there’s no shame.” Florio used Brock Purdy’s example to prove his point, given that the 49ers also paid Purdy a five-year, $265 million contract.

For Florio, Purdy is a “middle of the pack” quarterback. But he also noted that “there’s no shame in being in the middle of the pack.” However, the one thing that the Pro Football Network’s analyst can’t stand is that “You don’t just will your way to be Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson. You either are or you aren’t. And you hit your ceiling. By year six, we know who a guy is.”

By year six, Tua Tagovailoa is struggling to put up a strong outing for the Dolphins. It’s been a couple of years since he actually performed very well for Miami. Back in 2023, he led his team to an 11-6 record, while also putting up 4,624 yards and 29 TDs. From there? He came out flat. Sure, injuries played a key role in his dip. But fast forward to now, and even though he’s fit, the 27-year-old is struggling to win his first game of the season.

Mike McDaniel is on the hot seat after just three weeks

Ahead of the season, Mike McDaniel was one of the HC’s on the hot seat. But now that we’re in Week 3, and as the Dolphins are yet to win their first game, the rumors have started to swirl that McDaniel could be the first man out. In that case, the Dolphins’ owner, Stephen Ross, is expected to look for a new head coach. NFL insider Andrew Fillipponi seemed to have a suggestion.

“Something to consider,” he wrote, “The Dolphins going after Mike Tomlin when Mike McDaniel is fired as Miami coach. Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has tried hiring Tom Brady and Jim Harbaugh. He likes BIG names. Food for thought.” Back in 2007, the Dolphins passed on hiring Tomlin and went with Cam Cameron. While Cameron led them to a 1-15 record, Tomlin, meanwhile, went on to become one of the NFL’s longest-tenured head coaches and even brought home a Super Bowl.

And for the Miami team, which hasn’t appeared in a Super Bowl since 1984, Fillipponi’s consideration for Tomlin seems tangible. But as things stand, Ross doesn’t seem eager to move on from McDaniel. As NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport pointed out, the Dolphins’ owner still wants things to work out with his head coach. “Oh, great. I’m the downer. All right,” the analyst noted.

“First, the important part. Stephen Ross, the Dolphins owner, does not want to fire Mike McDaniel. He doesn’t. He wants this to work.” Miami gave McDaniel a contract extension just last year, so it’s unlikely they’d move on so soon. But with three straight losses piling up, that situation could change quickly.