NFL execs on how Tua Tagovailoa lost his edge and Mike McDaniel's support

The afternoon of Friday, July 26, 2024, came alive with a big splash: the latest NFL quarterback megadeal . For the Miami Dolphins , the news held a deeper meaning that money couldn't quantify. Miami, maligned at the quarterback position for decades, had a starter it could trust. Tua Tagovailoa 's four-year, $212.4 million extension -- including $167 million in guarantees -- signified stability for which the franchise was starved. Miami started 21 quarterbacks between Dan Marino's retirement after the 1999 season and drafting Tagovailoa in 2020. The Dolphins lauded the deal for Tagovailoa, who led the NFL in passing (4,624 yards) in 2023. Then-general manager Chris Grier said the team's key figures were "strong believers" in him and forecasted how Tagovailoa would validate the investment. "The way he's attacked this and wants to be great, and the combination of Mike [McDaniel] and working with that and that trust and belief in each other, we do think there's still another level," Grier said in a statement. Seventeen months later, the Dolphins have cratered toward their second consecutive losing season, Tagovailoa is on the bench due to uninspired play and Miami fans long for those heady days from that summer. Benching Tagovailoa will have a ripple effect for the team (and its payroll), the player and a league that must proceed with caution when considering the next good but not great quarterback eyeing $50-plus-million per year on a new contract. Sorting out the mess will take time. Miami is trying to finish the season on a winning note and must hire a general manager in the offseason. ESPN reached out to sources around the league to try to make sense of the situation. Why has Tua's level of play fallen? Some evaluators saw a quarterback who, at 27, was aging too quickly. Despite a concussion history that made him cognizant of taking too many hits, Tagovailoa once thrived when coupling his throwing anticipation and accuracy with just enough mobility to keep defenses honest. He had good enough footwork and twitch to be mobile and make plays out of structure. One veteran NFL scout, however, noticed that Tagovailoa "wasn't as twitchy or explosive as he was a year and a half ago. His feet and quickness were good enough and could help him compensate for [a] lack of elite ability. You don't see that anymore. He's gotten comfortable." Off the field, Tagovailoa remained a fixture in the building and his work ethic didn't appear to be a major issue. On the field, he was missing too many open receivers. The play on the field reflected that. Tagovailoa ranks 30th in QBR (36.7) this season, a spot below New York Jets starter Justin Fields . In the previous two years, Tagovailoa ranked 10th (2023) and 15th (2024). He was also careless with the ball this season (15 interceptions in 14 games) and was not a good mover. To be sure, Tagovailoa's durability issues and concussion history could have affected him. One NFL personnel...

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