The Miami Dolphins‘ new regime, led by general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, decided to cut ties with Tua Tagovailoa. Moreover, that decision from Sullivan led to the Dolphins absorbing a staggering $99.2 million in dead cap.
Nonetheless, Miami will split the dead money over two years, as it is in Year 1 of its rebuild. After his release from the Dolphins, Tagovailoa signed with the Atlanta Falcons and will look to win the QB competition to determine the starter.
As Tagovailoa prepares for a fresh start, former Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith (2022-25) shared his thoughts on whether the ex-Miami QB can find success in Atlanta.
“If he keeps staying true to himself and maintains who he is, along with that conviction and belief in himself and how he needs to play to be at his best, he can be as good as he wants to be because he’s shown he can do it,” Smith told Terron Armstead on the May 21 edition of “The Set.”
“He can reach the ceiling of ability in this league and play at an extremely high level. It’s about what you learn through the journey and your time there because when you experience the highs and lows, if you learn from it, it makes you stronger. You’re only going to be better from that time.”
Last season, Tagovailoa had 440 dropbacks, leading to a 62.1 overall PFF grade. Moreover, he threw for 2,660 yards and 20 touchdowns against 15 interceptions while also recording 18 big-time throws and 25 turnover-worthy plays.
Tua Tagovailoa Gets More Advice Ahead of 2026 Season
Moreover, Smith spotlighted the mental side of football that the former Dolphins QB will need to focus on to ensure he can bounce back with the Falcons.
It’s just about making sure you don’t carry things too heavily and don’t dismiss them too much. You absorb it all, own your part and move forward to be your best. If he can maintain that mental space, I think he can achieve whatever he wants to do.
“But as we both know, that’s the challenge of professional sports. The mental side is what it takes to be where you need to be, especially in challenging situations. But he’s proven he can compete and perform at the highest levels when required.”
The Dolphins Will Have a Challenging 2026 Season
One player on the Dolphins last season was veteran tight end Darren Waller, who came out of retirement. During the May 14 edition of “All the Smoke,” Waller said he believes Miami will have a challenging 2026 season as it continues its rebuild.
“I feel like you gotta kind of take an NBA route,” Waller added. “We might be bad for a couple of years. But we can stock up on these picks. They are getting some extra picks and need some of those first-round guys to hit right away. You can build something, start luring some free agents in, but it is going to take some time.
“It is going to take a process, especially bringing new people in. The quarterback is gone, all your impact players are gone. You will have to take some lumps the first year, but build from there and hope those draft picks hit.”
Ex-Dolphins OC Shares True Thoughts on Tua Tagovailoa’s Future