4 Reasons Tua Makes Perfect Sense for Chiefs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Patrick Mahomes shouldn’t be the only Chiefs quarterback who can complete passes left-handed.

When the Dolphins officially release Tua Tagovailoa on Wednesday afternoon, Kansas City should be first in line.

tua mahome — Nov 5, 2023; Frankfurt, Germany, ; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) greets Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) after an NFL International Series game at Deutsche Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

“Nobody is going to sign Tua Tagovailoa to be their 2026 starting quarterback,” said former quarterback Dan Orlovsky on Monday’s edition of Get Up. “Someone is going to sign Tua to sit there and say, ‘Hey, we might need a starter for a month.’ Or, ‘We're a Super Bowl-contending football team, and we need a guy that, just in case our quarterback goes down for Week 13 and Week 14 with an ankle, I need somebody come in and give us a chance.’

“Tua is going to find a role where he's going to be someone's high-level backup and just try to hang around the NFL for another year or two as a backup quarterback and then see what happens in another season or two.”

And that’s the biggest reason Kansas City makes sense. But it’s far from the only justification.

tagovailo — Dec 15, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) in action during the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Financial sense

The Dolphins are absorbing $99.2 million in dead money, able to spread the hit over two years because Miami is designating the quarterback’s release as a post-June 1 move. That means the Chiefs can sign Tagovailoa for only $1.3 million in 2026. That’s also makes Tagovailoa more attractive – and allows the Chiefs to divert more resources in free agency to positions of need – than quarterbacks such as Marcus Mariota, Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett.

And unlike Kyler Murray, Kirk Cousins and Geno Smith, Tagovailoa won’t be looking to start in 2026. All four of those quarterbacks will flood the market at 3 p.m. CT on Wednesday.

murray, tu — Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (13) hugs and talks with Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray (1) after the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., on Saturday December 29, 2018. | Mickey Welsh

Valuable Mahomes insurance

The current quarterbacks under contract on the roster are Mahomes, Jake Haener and Chris Oladokun. Should Kansas City need a player to start early in the season if Mahomes isn’t ready following Dec. 15 knee surgery, Tagovailoa is a much better bet than Haener or Oladokun.

Consider that the Chiefs are only 2-8 when Mahomes is unable to start, including a combined 0-3 mark under Gardner Minshew and Oladokun to end the 2025 season. Kansas City not only went winless over that trio of losses, but the Chiefs also scored just one touchdown and never reached 170 total net yards.

Tagovailoa also owns a 44-32 career record as a starter. That level of success and experience should be beneficial to the Chiefs, who are evaluating their scheme and looking to become much less predictable on offense.

The next Sam Darnold

Andy Reid has a long history of rescuing and rehabilitating the careers of quarterbacks. Tagovailoa should want to join the Chiefs as much as the Chiefs should want the quarterback.

Sam Darnold was an observer on the 49ers sideline, as Brock Purdy’s backup, when the Chiefs beat San Francisco in Super Bowl 58. And just as Darnold helped the 49ers, Tagovailoa could certainly continue that NFL trend with the Chiefs and sign somewhere else in 2027.