Mike McDaniel’s coaching style is as wild as his wardrobe! The Dolphins’ head coach celebrated their QB Tua Tagovailoa’s new $212.4M contract with a hug so intense, it could’ve been a WWE move.

In a tweet shared by NFL reporter David Furones, McDaniel joked, “I basically suplexed him,” about the encounter, where Tagovailoa was so surprised by the coach’s enthusiasm that he almost spilled his coffee. The Dolphins’ HC further added, “I’m fired up for the organization. I’m fired up for Tua.” 

The hype around Tagovailoa has been off the charts! Last season alone, he shattered records, throwing for 4,624 yards and 29 TDs with a 69% completion rate. Miami’s HC has been all in on the QB’s growth. “It’s been very exciting because we’re like, ‘Alright, let’s really push ourselves to challenge this guy’,” McDaniel said. “Because all he ends up doing is rising to the challenge with what we’ve been asking him to do.” 

Tagovailoa’s running back teammate Raheem Mostert’s all praises for him too. “He’s building up that confidence and you can just tell. Tua’s doing what he needs to do!” The Phins are set to make some serious noise, with Tagovailoa locked in for the long haul with his recent contract extension. 

Tua Tagovailoa extends his Phins’ journey 

The Miami Dolphins have locked up their young QB with a four-year, $212.4M extension, making him the fourth-highest-paid QB in the league. He’s behind Trevor Lawrence ($275M), Joe Burrow ($275M), and Jordan Love ($220M).  

Tua Tagovailoa’s new deal? A brilliant $167M guaranteed and $55M per year—Miami’s big bet on his potential. Plus, the Dolphins are all-in on their offense; veteran wideouts Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are already making pretty good money. This trio’s hauled in a combined $310.8M in guaranteed money—the third-most for any offensive skill trio.

Tagovailoa’s the third QB to score an extension this offseason, joining Jared Goff, Trevor Lawrence, and Jordan Love. When the Phins snagged him 5th overall in 2020 (their highest-drafted QB since ‘80), they had real high hopes. Sure, his start was a tad shaky, and he faced a couple of injuries. His numbers now have gotten so much better with each passing year. 

Is Tua Tagovailoa’s deal a total win-win? We’ll see. But the Miami team’s ready to roll with him.