At Big Ten Media Days Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa revealed an unnamed SEC school offered him $1.5 million to enter the NCAA transfer portal during the offsason. Tagovailoa instead elected to return Maryland to play his fifth collegiate season.
"It would be hard for me to go to another place and not be happy but have all the money in the world," Tagovailoa told The Athletic. "(I'd rather) be at a place where maybe I don't have as much, but I'm happy and I'm here to work."
Given he is a graduate, Tagavailoa could still enter the transfer portal and earn immediate eligibility at his next destination. However Tagovailoa conferred with his older brother and Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua and decided his relationships at Maryland mattered more than making money elsewhere.
"It can be eye-opening, but I think for my situation -- if I was in a different situation where maybe I didn't have a brother in the NFL or maybe my parents, it'd be a different situation," Tagovailoa said.
Tagovailoa orginally followed his brother to Alabama, but transferred to Maryland after one season with the Crimson Tide. He immediately earned the starting job and has remained the No. 1 quarterback on the roster ever since.
The 5-foot-11, 208-pound Tagovailoa holds Maryland career records for passing yards (7,879) and passing touchdowns (51), as well as completion percentage, completions and total offense. He was a 2022 second-team All-Big Ten selection after throwing for 2,787 yards and 17 touchdowns in 11 games.
