Tua Tagovailoa was selected by the Miami Dolphins with the fifth overall pick in 2020 NFL Draft. One of the perks of being a high selection is the massive contract that accompanies the honor.
Tagovailoa ultimately signed a four-year rookie contract worth $30.2 million. That deal includes a $19.6 million signing bonus.
So how does Tagovailoa plan to spend his newfound $30 million? He doesn’t.
“I’m gonna be living off of my marketing money, so the endorsement money that I get, and then everything else is just put to the side,” he said during a recent interview.
“So the money that I’m making from my contract, that’s put to the side, so none of that’s gonna be seen.”
Tagovailoa has already embarked on spending some dough, presumably earned via endorsements. Some of his recent purchases include a $1.65 million house near the Dolphins’ facility, an $80,000 Escalade for his mother, and a $10,000 Rolex for his father.
Lane Kiffin decided to dress to impress. https://t.co/LKqEw94JER
— Game 7 (@game7__) September 26, 2020
Meanwhile, on the football field, Tagovailoa continues to serve as a backup to current starter Ryan Fitzpatrick. The Alabama product got mixed reviews during the preseason, so it is probably a good thing that he wasn’t immediately thrust into action as a starter.
This past week, Fitzpatrick led Miami past the Jacksonville Jaguars 31-13. It marked the team’s first win of the season, following back to back defeats at the hands of the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills.
Fitzpatrick, for his part, acknowledged during the preseason that he knows he is simply there to serve as a bridge between the old days and the Tagovailoa Era.
Yikes. https://t.co/brED21LbmS
— Game 7 (@game7__) September 26, 2020
“I don’t know how much time it will be before Tua is in the lineup,” he said before the season began.
“I know I am the placeholder and we’ve already had that conversation. I told him, I’m going to do the best I can to lead this team and win football games when I’m out there.”
Whenever Tagovailoa does ultimately take the reigns, it will be interesting to see how he performs.
Inevitably, he will be compared to the two other quarterbacks who were taken near him in the draft – Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals and Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers. So far, both are off to a hot start.
Will Tagovailoa eventually join them? Time will tell.
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Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
