Tua Tagovailoa shares this regret about Dolphins tenure ahead of coming release

The Miami Dolphins announced some expected news when they confirmed on Monday morning that they will release quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

Later on Monday morning, Tagovailoa took to Instagram to address the end of his Dolphins tenure, which began when Miami made him the fifth overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft. 

Tua Tagovailoa will always regret this about Dolphins career

"To the fans — your energy, loyalty, and passion meant everything," Tagovailoa wrote. "You lifted me up in the biggest moments and stood by me through the challenging ones. From my first start I had, to the first touchdown I threw, I’m grateful for all of it. My family and I felt your love every step of the way. I also carry deep regret that I couldn’t get the job done and bring a championship home to this city. Miami deserves that, and I’ll always wish I could have delivered it for you."

Tagovailoa lost the only playoff start he made with the Dolphins, and he may go down as the top "what could have been?" Miami player of the 2020s. Specifically, he suffered a minimum of two reported concussions during the 2022 season. He then admitted in April 2023 that he considered retiring due to concerns related to his history of head injuries, but he later played in 17 games the following season. 

In the summer of 2024, Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212.4M contract. He was then limited to just 11 starts during the 2024 season, as he missed time due to another concussion and because of a hip injury.

More recently, Tagovailoa was benched in favor of then-rookie Quinn Ewers this past December. It then became clear that a coaching staff and general manager who weren't with the Dolphins when they signed Tagovailoa to his extension would go in a different direction regarding the sport's most important position. 

Tua Tagovailoa thanks Dolphins, teammates

"To the Miami Dolphins organization, my teammates, the front office and the incredible fans - Thank you for six unforgettable years," Tagovailoa added. "From the moment I arrived, you believed in me, supported me, and embraced my family as your own. I was able to marry my wife and welcome both my kids to this world. I was able to fortunately allow them to experience life from one I never got to growing up. Wearing this jersey and representing this city has been one of the greatest joys of my life."