Kim Bokamper Said What Dolphins Twitter Has Been Yelling About Tua tagovailoa

When a former Pro Bowl defender says, “I don’t want to see him back,” that isn’t noise. That’s institutional frustration speaking out loud.

Kim Bokamper didn’t hedge on the “Dolphins Talk” podcast. He didn’t cushion it. He called Tua Tagovailoa “shot.” He said he “had nothing to give” in 2025. He questioned his mobility, his ball security, and even his situational awareness. He went as far as saying Tua is “a polarizing guy since the day he got drafted.”

That’s not mild critique. That’s a referendum.

But before the Dolphins sprint toward a franchise reset, the numbers from 2025 deserve to sit on the table.

Bokamper’s Critique Is About Ceiling, Not Box Scores

Tua played most of the season in 2025, finishing with 14 games under his belt. In those game He completed 260 of 384 passes, good for 67.7 percent, which is really f**king good. Honestly, put that into perspective and it shows that most of his passes hit his intended target, that completion percentage is still efficient by league standards. Now where it gets a bit iffy is the amount of yards he threw for, and his touchdown interception ratio. Tua threw for under 3,000 finishing with 2,660 yards on the season, but was nowhere near the 4,000 yard mark.

That dip matters.

The interception total matters more. Fifteen picks in 14 games is not clean quarterback play. It reflects forced throws, compressed windows, and perhaps pressing inside a system that no longer felt explosive.

When Bokamper says Tua “had nothing to give,” he’s not arguing that Tua can’t complete passes. He’s arguing that the margin-making traits are missing.

The 2025 tape showed reduced escapability. The offense didn’t extend plays the way modern contenders do. There were ball-handling issues under pressure. There were moments when the sticks felt like an afterthought instead of the objective. Those are the details that frustrate former players, because they’re about feel.

In today’s AFC, quarterbacks are expected to create when structure fails. Josh Allen does it. Patrick Mahomes does it. Lamar Jackson turns broken plays into explosives.

That’s exactly what Bokamper is referencing.

The ContracT….

This isn’t only about pefroamnce…

That contract is cap hell as Tua is tied to a four-year, $212.4 million contract with $167.17 million guaranteed. His projected 2026 cap hit exceeds $56 million. The dead cap figure approaches $99.2 million. Cutting him is financially unrealistic. Trading him would likely require absorbing part of the deal, limiting return compensation.

This isn’t a quarterback controversy. It’s a capital allocation decision.

If Miami moves on, they’re not just replacing a starter. They’re absorbing financial shock while trying to stay competitive in a loaded AFC. If they stay committed, they are doubling down on a quarterback who just posted 6.9 yards per attempt and 15 interceptions in a season defined by inconsistency.

That’s not an easy fork in the road.

The Dolphins have to decide what 2025 represents. Was it decline? Was it health-related regression? Was it scheme stagnation? Or was it variance in a season where protection, play-calling, and timing never synced?

The 67.7 percent completion rate suggests Tua can still operate efficiently. The 20 touchdowns show red-zone functionality didn’t collapse. But the reduced yards per attempt and spike in interceptions suggest diminished explosiveness and decision-making under stress.

The league doesn’t stand still. If your quarterback isn’t ascending, you are functionally descending relative to the field.

That’s the uncomfortable reality.

Bokamper also called Tua polarizing. That word is important. Tua has always been debated not just for performance, but for style. He wins with timing, anticipation, and structure. He doesn’t win with overwhelming physical traits. When that structure cracks, the evaluation shifts from “efficient operator” to “limited creator.”

If Miami believes 2025 was an outlier, they will ride it out. If they believe it was signal, not noise, then this offseason becomes franchise-defining.

Quarterbacks with Tua’s résumé do not grow on trees. But neither do AFC championships.

That’s the tension.

Bokamper spoke emotionally. The Dolphins have to decide rationally.

And with $212 million attached to the decision, there is no safe answer.