The Miami Dolphins are to release quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, which will cost them a record dead cap hit of $99.2m (£74.2m).
The 28-year-old has been the Dolphins’ starting quarterback since 2020, when they drafted him with the fifth overall pick.
He earned a four-year contract extension in 2024 worth $212.4m (£158.9m) and releasing him just two years into that deal will cost Miami the NFL’s highest-ever amount in dead money towards their salary cap.
It will surpass the previous record of $85m (£63.6m) when the Denver Broncos let Russell Wilson leave in 2024.
“We are going to move in a new direction at the quarterback position and will be releasing him after the start of the new league year,” general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan said.
Tagovailoa has said he contemplated retiring after suffering two concussions during the 2022 season, but returned to lead the league for passing yards in 2023, taking Miami into the play-offs.
That earned him a lucrative extension but two months later he was concussed again, and after some underwhelming form in 2025 he was benched for the final three games of last season.
Miami fired head coach Mike McDaniel in January, bringing in Jeff Hafley and a new general manager in Sullivan, and have opted to rebuild their roster too.
They released wide receiver Tyreek Hill last month and have agreed to trade safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to the New York Jets.
Sullivan added: “As we move forward, we will be focused on infusing competition across the roster and establishing a strong foundation for this team as we work towards building a sustained winner.”
Tagovailoa is the second franchise quarterback to be moved on during the NFL’s free agency period after Kyler Murray.
Last week the Arizona Cardinals said they are releasing 2019’s first overall draft pick after just one winning season from seven, four of which were disrupted by injury.
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