The Miami Dolphins lost to the Steelers on Monday Night Football, a loss that eliminated them from playoff contention. Following the game, head coach Mike McDaniel spoke with the media and said “The QB play last night was not good enough. Everything is on the table.”
NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero reported that the Dolphins have made a decision. He said “Tua Time’s Up: The Dolphins are benching QB Tua Tagovailoa and will start rookie Quinn Ewers on Sunday”. Additionally, he added that despite having a large contract, Tua’s future with the Dolphins is now “up in the air.”
Tua Tagovailoa
The Miami Dolphins’ decision to bench Tagovailoa likely puts an end to the quarterback’s season. If so, he’ll finish with 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions, alongside the lowest QBR of his career and his worst passer rating since his rookie season.
Originally, head coach Mike McDaniel was hired to ‘fix’ Tua Tagovailoa, after he struggled under then coach Brian Flores. The Dolphins went 31-24 with McDaniel and Tagovailoa in four seasons. The partnership started out hot, with a 19-11 record, and with the Dolphins quarterback making a Pro Bowl and leading the league in passing yards. Since the end of the 2023 season, Tagovailoa has a 12-13 record.
This is not the first time Tagovailoa has gotten benched in Miami. He was originally benched in his rookie season in favor of veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick, as he struggled in two games. Following those games, he would regain the starting quarterback role with the team. Tagovailoa’s reaction to the benching remains to be seen.
New Quarterback in Miami
For the first time since the 2020 season, the Dolphins have made a quarterback change that was not related to injuries. Rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers will start against the Bengals. Ewers has primarily served as the team’s third string quarterback this season, but he briefly replaced Zach Wilson as the team’s backup after a good week of practice.
He got brief playing time when he served as the team’s backup. Against the Browns in Week 7, Ewers went 5-for-8 for 53 passing yards. The rookie was taken in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft after playing three years at Texas. With the Longhorns, Ewers threw for over 9,000 yards and 68 touchdowns. His 31 touchdowns in his junior season at Texas led the SEC.
ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper said of Ewers “Decision-making under pressure is questionable. I want to see him throw the 99 mph fastball once in a while. We didn’t see it. We saw the touch. We saw the accuracy. I saw him in the Alabama game where he bowled me over. He didn’t build on that. Did injuries play a factor? Maybe.” Regarding Ewers’ future in the NFL, Kiper added “Can he be a backup in the NFL? Yes. Is he a starter? That’s the debate. There can be a chip on his shoulder. Make them pay for not drafting him sooner.” Ewers will now have a chance to prove he’s an NFL starter.
His first test will come Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, the team that allows the most points per game to opposing offenses.
Dolphins Announce Quarterback Change After Steelers Loss