Miami Dolphins

Tannehill to face bigger expectations, looking to win title with Dolphins

Published May. 19, 2015 7:10 p.m. ET

foxsports

DAVIE, Fla. -- A calculated risk could turn into an all-time bargain for the Miami Dolphins after the team signed quarterback Ryan Tannehill to a high-priced contract extension on Monday.

The deal, according to multiple reports, is a four-year, $77 million extension on top of the two years and $18.255 million Tannehill already had remaining on his rookie contract. The new deal also carries $45 million in guarantees over the life of the contract and will keep the 26-year-old in Miami through the 2020 season.

"It wasn't something that I was expecting," Tannehill said Tuesday from the team's practice facility at Nova Southeastern University. "Obviously once they came to me and wanted to talk, I love it here in South Florida, I believe in this team, I believe in this organization, so I was super excited to try to get something done. Fortunately enough through the hard work of a lot of people sitting in this room, we made it happen."

Miami already had Tannehill signed through 2016, but thought it wise to lock up their franchise quarterback before a breakout season caused the organization to empty out its coffers even further.

The eighth overall pick of the 2012 draft, Tannehill has started every game in his first three seasons with the Dolphins and been steadily improving each year despite playing behind one of the worst offensive lines in the league.

Over that span, his passer rating climbed from 76.1 as rookie to 81.7 and then 92.8 in 2014, making him one of only four quarterbacks in the NFL whose passer rating improved each of the past three seasons. The others are Andrew Luck of the Indianapolis Colts, Matthew Stafford of the Detroit Lions and Tony Romo of the Dallas Cowboys.

"I've seen the development of Ryan over a period of three years and I think he has great potential," said head coach Joe Philbin. "I'm fully confident that he's going to get better and better and better. That's what I'm really excited about.

"He represents the organization the right way, on and off the field. I think he's going to get better and better and better. I've watched him get better each and every year and I think that trend is going to continue."

It wasn't long ago that Tannehill was catching balls rather than throwing them as a wide receiver at Texas A&M and the Lubbock, Texas native has been on a rapid ascent towards success ever since he became a signal caller.

He's thrown for 11,252 passing yards over his first three seasons -- the sixth-highest total in NFL history -- and threw for a career-high 4,045 yards with 27 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 2014.

Under offensive coordinator Bill Lazor, he found his niche in the short and intermediate passing game, culminating in a completion percentage of 66.4 last season -- the second-highest in team history, behind only the 67.4 posted by Chad Pennington in 2008.

There's no doubt that his individual performance certainly merits a long-term investment, but only time will tell if Miami's confidence in their young quarterback will result in not only a return to the playoffs, but more importantly a trip to the Super Bowl.

"Yes, that's why I'm here -- it's to win the championship," said Tannehill, who hopes to lead Miami to the playoffs for the first time since 2008. "If these guys didn't believe in me, then I wouldn't be sitting in this chair. I believe I am, I'm working each and every day to bring that championship back to Miami."

Before Tannehill's arrival, the Dolphins had gone through 16 different starting quarterbacks since Dan Marino's retirement in 2000. With this extension, Miami has not only put a stop a constant upheaval under center, but also found a player they believe is worthy of being called a franchise quarterback.

"We're really excited about the growth and the future with Ryan as our quarterback," said general manager Dennis Hickey. "It's also what Ryan brings as a person. All of the things that he brings, he does things the right way. We talk to our young players a lot about being a professional, Ryan epitomizes that and he's a great example of that. He also brings a toughness and a grit that his teammates respect and enjoy following."

Like a savvy Wall Street investor, the Dolphins believe they've gotten in on the ground floor of the next big thing. Tannehill may not be a top-10 quarterback in the league just yet, but if he continues on his current trajectory there's no doubt he'll live up to, and possibly even surpass, the expectations of his lofty new contract.

"If he continues to ascend, I was just telling Dennis Hickey, we're going to be knocking on the door in three to four years, hopefully with a Lombardi Trophy in our hands, to revisit (the deal)," Tannehill's agent Pat Dye Jr. said confidently.

You can follow Jameson Olive on Twitter @JamesonCoop or email him at JamesonOlive@gmail.com.