Dolphins Face Quarterback Crossroads After Playoff Elimination: Tua's Starting Spot in Question
After 14 straight starts this season, Tua Tagovailoa’s grip on the Miami Dolphins’ starting quarterback job is no longer guaranteed. That’s the message head coach Mike McDaniel delivered on Tuesday, less than 24 hours after the Dolphins were officially eliminated from playoff contention with a 28-15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The loss didn’t just end Miami’s slim postseason hopes-it may have triggered a shift under center.
McDaniel was initially cautious when asked whether he might make a quarterback change for the final three games of the season. “It would be very rash and shortsighted if I even tried to tackle that option,” he said postgame, emphasizing the need to review the tape before making any decisions.
But after reviewing that film, McDaniel’s tone changed.
“Well, I think the quarterback play last night was not good enough,” he said Tuesday. “And so for me, everything’s on the table.”
That includes the possibility that someone other than Tagovailoa could start this Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals. McDaniel said the coaching staff is deep into the game-planning process and evaluating who gives the team the best chance to win.
Miami’s other quarterback options are Zach Wilson-the former No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft-and rookie Quinn Ewers, a seventh-round pick who’s seen limited action. Wilson has 33 career starts under his belt but has played just 23 snaps this season. Ewers has logged only 12 snaps total in his rookie campaign.
Still, McDaniel made it clear this isn’t about handing out reps for evaluation’s sake. “I think I’ll consider the quarterback that will give us the best chance to win,” he said. “I’m not going to turn everybody’s game into a trial practice.”
That’s a key point. Even though the Dolphins are out of the playoff picture, McDaniel isn’t treating the final three games like preseason auditions. The goal remains to compete and win, and that includes holding every position-quarterback included-to a performance standard.
And right now, Tagovailoa isn’t meeting that standard.
Despite a stat line that included 22 completions on 28 attempts for 283 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, the Dolphins offense sputtered for much of the game against Pittsburgh. At one point, Miami had just 93 total yards entering the fourth quarter.
By then, the Steelers had built a commanding 28-3 lead. Tagovailoa’s interception in the second half was his league-leading 15th of the season.
McDaniel acknowledged the weight that comes with playing quarterback in the NFL. “Heavy is the crown,” he said.
“There’s misplaced blame, and it’s not always one person’s fault. Generally, it’s not one person’s fault.”
But he also didn’t sugarcoat the expectations. “You have a standard of performance… and when that standard is not being met, something’s got to give.”
That standard includes protecting the football, moving the chains, and hitting open receivers-areas where Tagovailoa has struggled in 2025. His completion percentage is down five points from last year.
His interception rate has more than doubled. And he’s averaging over 70 fewer passing yards per game compared to his 2024 campaign.
It’s a sharp drop-off from the player who led the league in passing yards in 2023 and posted the NFL’s highest completion percentage. Injuries limited him last season, but when he was on the field, he was one of the league’s most efficient quarterbacks.
This year, that efficiency has vanished. And while McDaniel wouldn’t point to one specific issue, he admitted the overall performance hasn’t lived up to expectations. “At this stage of the season, my expectation was that we’d have a better performance.”
The Dolphins’ offense has been inconsistent all season. Despite a midseason four-game win streak-fueled by a surprisingly run-heavy attack-Miami ranks near the bottom of the league in most offensive categories: 23rd in points, 25th in total yards, 26th in passing yards. Only the rushing game, ranked 14th, has provided some balance.
Now sitting at 6-8, the Dolphins are staring down a 25th straight season without a playoff win. And with three games left, McDaniel is focused on accountability and improvement, not sentimentality.
“We have to have a certain standard at each position,” he said. “There’s no one entitled to preferential treatment. When there’s a better option, it’s my job to attack that.”
Whether that means benching Tagovailoa remains to be seen. But the door is open-and that alone says a lot about where the Dolphins are right now.
Miami will host the Bengals on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium. Cincinnati, sitting at 4-10, won’t be playing for a postseason spot either.
But for the Dolphins, these final games still carry weight. They’re about pride, evaluation, and maybe even a glimpse of what the future could look like under center.