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Essentials Inside The Story

  • Tua and his family prioritize charitable work through the Tua Foundation
  • Earlier during a Thanksgiving visit, Tua also spent hours with families
  • Tua’s tenure in Miami appears to be nearing its end

There is a lot of noise around Tua Tagovailoa right now. Questions swirl about his future with the Miami Dolphins as concerns grow louder by the week. Still, in the middle of all that, Tua stepped away from the field and instead leaned into something personal. Just days before Christmas, the Dolphins quarterback chose to focus on kids who needed joy more than headlines.

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The Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital shared a collage on its Instagram story. The images showed Tua’s wife, Annah, along with members of their foundation, walking from room to room. Gifts were everywhere. Smiles followed as the kids celebrated Christmas inside the hospital walls.

The hospital later wrote, “Huge thanks to the @tuafoundation, @annahtagovailoa, and Nicolette for granting 4 incredible wishes today!”

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Meanwhile, Annah Tagovailoa echoed the moment online. She shared the visit on her own Instagram story. She kept it heartfelt and short.

“We were honored to be a part! Thank you for helping to make today so special.”

Interestingly, this was not a one-off gesture. Tua has built a steady relationship with Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital through his organization. In fact, Thanksgiving offered another example. That day, he spent hours with families and talked to young patients.

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One moment stood out. Tua sang Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” in an activity room filled with children. Nothing was planned as he simply chose to sing. The energy changed, and the room felt lighter.

Later, the hospital thanked Tua and Annah on Instagram for sharing “the warmth of the aloha spirit with [their] patients and families,” while noting many kids would spend the holiday away from “home and holiday traditions.”

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That visit came as part of the Tua Foundation’s annual Thanksgiving outreach. Tua and Annah treat it as a priority every year. Usually, it stays low-key during a packed football week. This time, however, it drew more attention than expected, especially with career questions hovering.

Tua Tagovailoa’s Miami Dolphins future is up in the air

While Miami grinds through a brutal year, there is no sugarcoating it for Dolphin Nation. Back in August, the roster looked loaded. Speed everywhere with confidence high in the Magic City. Sure, it came with plenty of “ifs,” but that is true for every team. Now, however, one question has been answered loud and clear. What if Tua Tagovailoa was not the guy?

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Just a year ago, such a scenario seemed unlikely, as optimism felt justified. Tua led the league in passing yards in 2023 with 4,624. He looked in control. He looked comfortable. That convinced general manager Chris Grier and the Dolphins to act fast. They handed Tua a four-year, $212.4 million extension. It included $167 million guaranteed. At the time, it felt like a commitment to stability.

Since then, things have spiraled. Tua does not resemble that version anymore. The losses stacked up quickly, almost weekly. Eventually, the Dolphins fell out of the playoff picture. Then came the move nobody expected. Tua got benched. Miami turned the offense over to seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers for the rest of the season.

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According to ESPN, the call came straight from head coach Mike McDaniel. A source said the benching had nothing to do with next year; McDaniel simply believed Tua stunk and that the team had a better chance without him and Zach Wilson. Meanwhile, Miami still carries about $54 million tied to Tua in 2026.

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That is where it gets tricky. The Dolphins can point to McDaniel all they want. Still, the front office signed off. If Tua stays on the roster when the new league year opens, the 2027 guarantees trigger automatically. If he gets hurt, they cannot move him. That would lock Miami into years they clearly do not want. Right now, his future in the Magic City feels very much up in the air.

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