Tua Tagovailoa talks leadership after $212 million deal with Dolphins: 'The crown is heavy' | News, scores, highlights, stats and rumors

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa knows the pressure to perform at a high level has only increased after signing a four-year, $212.4 million contract extension this offseason.

Speaking to ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques about his new contract, Tagovailoa explained that “the crown is heavy” because there is so much pressure when you are the face of the franchise.

“I'm the highest paid person in this office,” he said. “I have to get everything right, I have to get everything right and move our people in the direction we need to go so we can do these things.”

The contract made Tagovailoa the fifth-highest-paid quarterback in the NFL with an average annual salary of $53.1 million.

Tagovailoa has always been a controversial player among NFL fans and analysts. His first two seasons were marred by an organization in transition, even though the Dolphins went 13-8 in games he started.

Since hiring Mike McDaniel as head coach ahead of the 2022 season, the Dolphins have boasted one of the NFL's most explosive offenses. When they beat the Denver Broncos in Week 3 last season, they became the first team since 1966 to score at least 70 points in a game.

Tagovailoa led the league in passing yards (4,624) in the 2023 season. The next step for him is to maintain a high level of performance throughout an entire season and lead the Dolphins to a playoff win.

From Week 3 of the 2022 season to Week 16 of last season, when they earned a 22-20 win over the Dallas Cowboys, the Dolphins went 30 games apart.

This winning streak also includes the loss to the Buffalo Bills in the 2022 AFC Wild Card Game, in which Tagovailoa did not play due to a concussion.

In his first playoff appearance against the Kansas City Chiefs in January, Tagovailoa completed 20 of 39 passes for 199 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Miami lost the game 26-7, the fewest points scored in a game under McDaniel.

If Tagovailoa stays healthy, the potential for Miami's offense is enormous. He just needs to take his game to the next level to help the Dolphins to their first playoff win since December 30, 2000.