The Miami Dolphins' season took a sharp turn this week, and so did their quarterback situation. After Monday night’s 28-15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers officially knocked them out of playoff contention, head coach Mike McDaniel made a bold move: he’s turning to rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers to start this Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.
That decision, confirmed Wednesday, signals more than just a change under center-it might be the first domino in a much larger shift for the Dolphins organization.
A New Era Under Center?
Tua Tagovailoa has been the face of Miami’s offense since being drafted, but his future with the team is now uncertain. Despite a contract that guarantees him $54 million in 2026, Tagovailoa is heading to the bench. That’s not a small move, especially when the Dolphins are still technically in evaluation mode for the rest of the season.
McDaniel’s decision to sit Tua in favor of a rookie suggests he may already be looking ahead-way ahead. Whether it’s developing Ewers, drafting another quarterback, or exploring free agency, the Dolphins could be heading into a full reset at the position. And that reset might not be limited to the roster.
McDaniel’s Standing in Miami
There’s been plenty of noise around the Dolphins’ front office this season. General manager Chris Grier and the team “mutually” parted ways back on October 31, and for a while, McDaniel’s job security seemed to hang in the balance too. But a four-game win streak brought some calm to the storm-at least temporarily.
Now, with playoff hopes dashed and a new GM still to be named, McDaniel’s decision to bench his starting quarterback could be read as a coach who feels secure enough to start shaping the team’s future. NFL insiders have noted that McDaniel’s approach suggests he’s planning to be part of the next chapter in Miami, not just riding out the end of this one.
Owner Stephen Ross is reportedly a strong supporter of McDaniel, and the locker room has shown it’s still behind him. But loyalty only goes so far in the NFL. McDaniel hasn’t delivered a playoff win since taking the job in 2022, and a new general manager may want to bring in his own guy to run the show-both on the field and on the sidelines.
The Tua Conundrum
The financial side of moving on from Tagovailoa is where things get tricky. If the Dolphins trade him before March 13, they’ll take on a $45.2 million dead-money hit.
Wait until after that date, and the number jumps to $60.2 million. That’s a tough pill to swallow, especially for a team that might be in the middle of a rebuild.
There’s also the post-June 1 release option, which would allow Miami to spread out a staggering $99.2 million in dead cap over two years. Not ideal, but potentially more manageable if the team is committed to a long-term reset.
Some league insiders believe McDaniel is preparing for life without Tua. And while that might seem drastic, there’s a logic to it. If the Dolphins are going to bring in a new GM and possibly a new quarterback, it makes sense for McDaniel to get a head start on building that next version of the offense-especially if he wants to be the one leading it.
What Comes Next?
One interesting wrinkle: some around the league believe Tua could still have value as a veteran backup, especially behind a rookie like Ewers. That could keep him on the roster in a different role-though it’s hard to imagine a former top-five pick and former starter settling into a QB2 job quietly.
The Dolphins may not be able to fully move on from Tagovailoa until 2027 from a financial standpoint, but the groundwork for that transition is clearly being laid now. Sunday’s game against the Bengals might not have playoff implications, but it could be the first real look at what the future of Dolphins football will look like.
For now, all eyes are on Quinn Ewers. And maybe just as importantly, on the man who’s putting the rookie in the spotlight.