It’s fair to say that Tua Tagovailoa is in high spirits after signing a major contract extension with the Miami Dolphins. During a team practice session on Sunday, he grabbed a microphone and thanked fans for attending after yelling “Show me the money!”

Undoubtedly, some will question why the money is so important here, but it’s not without good reason. Tagovailoa’s contract will see him earn $212.4 million throughout his four-year extension. Notably, this now makes him the highest-paid player the Dolphins have ever had, as well as the fifth-highest earner in NFL history when it comes to annual salary numbers. 

Despite the celebrations, it’s worth noting that Tagovailoa acknowledges the pressure that’s now been added to his shoulders. Talking about his new deal, the quarterback noted “I'm the highest-paid employee in this office. I got to get my whatever together. I got to get that right and get our guys moving in the direction that we need to go to be able to do those things”.

How Tagovailoa responds on the field remains to be seen but there’s no doubt coach Mike McDaniel is pleased it’s all sorted. Following the announcements, McDaniel noted “I'm fired up for the organization, really fired up for Tua and the work he's done to receive something like that. I think it's a cool validation for sure”. 

For now, it’s time for Tagovailoa to focus on preparing for the upcoming season. Nevertheless, fans of the Dolphins can relax a little now they’ve secured his services for a further four years.