Cam Newton Has Strong Words for Tua Tagovailoa After Dolphins’ Loss

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Rowan Fisher-Shotton | Last updated Sep 19, 2025 12:18 PM ET

The Miami Dolphins’ 31-21 loss to the Buffalo Bills on "Thursday Night Football" deepened doubts about quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who has now endured a rocky first three weeks of the NFL season while carrying one of the league's heftiest contracts.

On Friday’s ESPN "First Take," former NFL quarterback Cam Newton spotlighted Tagovailoa’s high salary as the root of escalated expectations.

"Tua Tagovailoa is making more than Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, Baker Mayfield, Matthew Stafford, Jayden Daniels," Newton said. "Am I pocket watching? No, no, no. I'm putting things into perspective here. What did Biggie (Smalls) say? 'More money, more problems.' Well, in this case, it should be, 'More money, more expectations.'"

"When I see Tua Tagovailoa, over this year alone, I've heard him more than I ever have. That's not to say you can't talk, but I like quiet Tua, Alabama Tua, chip on the shoulder Tua," Newton added. "What you're being paid, what you're asked to do, what you have the capability of, from one quarterback to the other, I look at the situation like, bro c'mon, especially when you have a Ferrari and a Lamborghini and other amenities that some quarterbacks wish they had."

Cam Newton expects more from Tua Tagovailoa after going down 0-3

"When I see Tua Tagovailoa over this year alone, I've heard him more than I ever have. ... I like quiet Tua." pic.twitter.com/yfpRm0gNjQ
— First Take (@FirstTake) September 19, 2025

In Week 1 against the Indianapolis Colts (L 23-20), Tagovailoa completed 14-of-21 passes (60.9%) for a mere 114 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

The following week versus the New England Patriots (L 27-24), he went 26-of-32 (81.3%) for 315 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

Then on Thursday, he completed 22-of-34 passes (64.7%) for 146 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

For the season, Tagovailoa has thrown five touchdowns but has already been picked four times. He ranks 24th among 32 starters in passer rating (87.1) and tied for the most in interceptions in the league, while Miami’s offense as a whole ranks 25th in yards (281.7) and points per game (18.7)

Last summer, Tagovailoa inked a four-year, $212.4 million extension, making him the highest-paid player in Dolphins history and vaulting him among the top-10 earners at quarterback.

His 2025 base salary is $25 million, jumping to $39 million in 2026, $31 million in 2027 and $41.4 million in 2028, according to Spotrac. With the first potential out for Miami coming in 2027 (and a $137.9 million dead-cap in 2025), Tagovailoa is virtually locked in as the Dolphins' quarterback for the foreseeable future.

Interestingly, Tagovailoa's average annual salary is $53.1 million. This places him sixth among all NFL quarterbacks, above names like Jared Goff ($53 million), Brock Purdy ($53 million), Herbert ($52.5 million), Jackson ($52 million) Hurts ($51 million) and Mahomes ($45 million).

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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