Tua Tagovailoa Benched: Dolphins Turn to Rookie Quinn Ewers Amid Quarterback Chaos
It’s official: the Miami Dolphins are making a stunning quarterback change, benching Tua Tagovailoa in favor of rookie Quinn Ewers. That’s not a typo.
The former Alabama star, national champion, and first-round pick is being replaced by a seventh-round rookie - and not just for a late-season rest. Ewers is set to start this Sunday against the Bengals.
Let’s be clear: this isn’t just a depth chart shuffle. This is a seismic shift for a franchise that committed $212 million to Tagovailoa just last year. Now, Miami’s quarterback room is at the center of one of the most complicated - and expensive - dilemmas in recent NFL memory.
The Contract Conundrum
Tagovailoa’s deal, signed in 2024, was supposed to solidify the Dolphins’ future. Instead, it’s now a financial anchor.
If Miami were to release him, they’d take on a record-setting $99 million dead cap hit - with zero cap relief. That’s the kind of number that makes front offices sweat.
Still, keeping him around as a backup doesn’t make much sense either. So what’s next?
One option on the table could be a Brock Osweiler-style maneuver: packaging Tua with draft picks in a trade to offload the contract. It’s a tough pill to swallow, but it may be the only way out.
Could Atlanta Be a Landing Spot?
One team that could enter the conversation? The Atlanta Falcons.
With Michael Penix Jr. recovering from an ACL injury, there’s a temporary vacancy under center. The Falcons may need a short-term starter to stay afloat in the playoff race, and Tua’s name has surfaced as a potential stopgap.
There’s some logic to the fit. Both Penix and Tagovailoa are left-handed, which simplifies things for the offensive line and receivers - no need to flip protections or rework route timing. But that’s where the positives start to thin out.
Tua’s 2025 Season: A Steep Decline
This season has been rough for Tagovailoa. The numbers tell a story of regression.
He’s thrown for under 200 yards in eight different games. He’s tossed at least one interception in nine contests - and multiple picks in four of them.
His 15 interceptions lead the league.
He’s averaging just 190 passing yards per game and holds a 36.7 QBR. For comparison, Penix - who’s been criticized for his own struggles - has averaged 220 yards per game, thrown only three interceptions, and holds a 56.7 QBR.
The only area where Tua has the edge is completion percentage: 67.7% to Penix’s 60.1%. But that 7.6% bump in accuracy doesn’t quite justify the 2.8% increase in interception rate.
The Bigger Picture in Miami
This benching isn’t just about one bad season. It’s about a quarterback who, even at his best, may have been more of a system product than a foundational piece.
When things were humming in Miami, it was easy to point to Mike McDaniel’s creative offense and the blazing speed of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle as key drivers of success. Now, stripped of rhythm and results, Tua’s limitations are front and center.
Quinn Ewers, meanwhile, steps into the fire. The rookie has shown enough in practice and meetings to earn the trust of the coaching staff, and now he gets his shot against a Bengals team fighting for playoff position. It’s a bold move - and one that signals a potential changing of the guard in Miami.
What’s Next?
For the Dolphins, this is a franchise-defining moment. They’re staring down a massive financial hit, a quarterback controversy, and a fanbase that’s watching closely. For Tua, it’s a crossroads in his career - one that could lead to a fresh start elsewhere, or a long road back to relevancy.
And for teams like Atlanta, the question is simple: is the risk worth the reward? Based on what we’ve seen this season, the answer might be clearer than ever.
One thing’s for sure: the quarterback carousel is spinning, and Tua Tagovailoa is right in the middle of it.