After months of negotiations, Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins agreed to a four-year deal worth $212.4 million on Friday, of which $167.1 is guaranteed. At the time in which Tagovailoa himself announced the deal, the contract was the largest four-year contract given to a quarterback in NFL history and the third largest overall. In the hours since, it was surpassed by the four-year, $220 million deal Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers agreed to. All the latest sports news from Hawaii's sports station Friday was still a triumphant day for Tagovailoa nonetheless, who is still on the receiving end of the largest contract the Miami Dolphins have given a player in franchise history. Tagovailoa, an Ewa Beach native and Saint Louis alumnus, also set a new record back home. Tagovailoa's new deal shattered the previous record contract given to a Hawaii athlete, a four-year, $84 million deal signed by Punahou alumnus and Waianae native DeForest Bucker of the Indianapolis Colts in 2020, of which $44.3 million was guaranteed. --- Tagovailoa's rise to history was predictable to those who saw him throw a football during his childhood. After dominating the youth circuit, Tagovailoa matriculated to Saint Louis, where he set the Hawaii state passing record in three seasons of varsity ball. “I was very proud of him," said Rich Miano, who played in the NFL for 12 years and hosted Tagovailoa at his GPA showcase. "I think he’ll do a really great job of representing Hawaii in terms of his foundation, himself as a person, giving back with football camps, all the other things he’s capable of doing in this community that he loves and that his family loves. It made me feel a sense of relief but also a sense of gratification because he’s deserving. “It’s a true kind of storybook type of situation where a kid comes from Ewa Beach and now is on the biggest stage signing the biggest contract in the history of athlete of Hawaii. What a good person he is and how deserving.” Tagovailoa played collegiately at the University of Alabama, where he introduced himself to the world with a walk-off touchdown pass against Georgia in overtime of the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship Game. A devastating hip injury prematurely ended his collegiate career in 2019. After getting taken fifth overall by the Dolphins in 2020, Tagovailoa became the team's starter midway through his rookie year. Multiple concussions suffered during the 2022 campaign raised doubts about his ability to play an entire NFL season, a question he emphatically answered by playing all 17 regular season games in 2023, finishing as the NFL's passing yardage leader. “It’s a tremendous journey when you think about Galu, his dad, switching him to a left-handed quarterback. His mother Diane and his grandparents, then you see Taulia and the girls, and you see this village that are such great people that believe in God and hard work. Galu’s an old school guy. To see that pass through in his sons, to see the family and how close they are and what a Christian family it is, how together they are. You look at that village that has raised that young man and I think he’s very appreciative because you don’t get to a certain point in life without a whole bunch of people," Miano said. "The Vince Passas, the Lee brothers, obviously Nick Saban at Alabama and now Mike McDaniel and you talk about guys like Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and the people he has surrounded himself with. Nobody ever does anything by themselves but you talk about the village, he’s had a tremendous village and support, and that support has allowed him to be a record-breaking quarterback.” When Passas was asked about Tagovailoa on Friday, he reiterated that he saw greatness in the young southpaw as a 9-year-old throwing with the high schoolers at his clinics. Beyond finances, Friday's extension was indicative of Miami's commitment to Tagovailoa as the team's franchise quarterback, agreeing to give him four more years behind center to lead. “When you look at Steven Ross the owner, Chris Grier the general manager, (head coach) Mike McDaniel, that’s a lot of money, a lot of guaranteed money. That’s many years, but he did prove the concussions were hopefully a thing of the past. He did complete a full season. The schedule is long, it’s so tough to continue to stay healthy. Availability is one of the greatest things a player can have. He showed all that," Miano said. "Now, I think the next step is winning in the playoffs, taking this team to the Super Bowl, and I think they believe they have a player in Tua who’s not only physically capable, but the intangibles of a quarterback: Leadership, work ethic, likability, and then availability. He’s shown that he’s that kind of guy. Super excited about the future of the Miami Dolphins and hopefully the rest of the state of Hawaii will recognize him, Marcus (Mariota), guys like DeForest Buckner, all these pros that are from the state of Hawaii, they are all a reflection of what Hawaii can be.”