Quinn Ewers Turned Heads in Miami - Now Comes the Real Test
Quinn Ewers wasn’t supposed to be the story in Miami last season. A seventh-round pick, third on the depth chart, and spending most of the year running scout team reps - he was more of a developmental project than a potential starter.
But when the Dolphins found themselves in need of a spark late in the year, Ewers got the call. And in just three starts, he gave fans - and the organization - something to think about.
Let’s be clear: Ewers wasn’t perfect. No rookie quarterback dropped into a complex system in December ever is.
But what stood out wasn’t just the flashes of arm talent or the poise under pressure - it was the way he handled the moment. The Dolphins didn’t simplify the playbook for him.
Head coach Mike McDaniel kept the system intact, and Ewers dove in headfirst.
“We had just gotten back from Pittsburgh,” Ewers recalled. “I slept in as long as I could.
I woke up at like 11, and I had a call from my quarterbacks coach (Darrell Bevell). He told me that Coach McDaniel was talking about maybe starting me that week against the Bengals.”
That was the moment everything changed. Ewers leapfrogged Zach Wilson on the depth chart and suddenly found himself starting NFL games - a move that raised eyebrows around the league.
Some saw it as a desperate attempt by McDaniel to salvage the season. Others saw it as a clear sign that the Dolphins were rethinking their long-term plans at quarterback, especially with Tua Tagovailoa’s future in flux.
Ewers, for his part, didn’t flinch.
“It’s my job to be ready for the opportunity and to be ready when my name is called,” he said. “I feel like I took the opportunity, and I feel like I ran with it. The outcome, the results weren’t obviously what me and the team wanted.”
That mindset - hungry, humble, and focused - is part of what’s made Ewers such an intriguing figure in Miami’s quarterback room. Despite being a late-round pick, he’s carried himself like a pro from day one. He put in the work, absorbed the offense, and when the Dolphins needed him, he delivered enough to earn a second look.
Now, with a new head coach in Jeff Hafley and offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik returning, the quarterback picture is wide open. Hafley hasn’t committed to anyone - not Ewers, not Tagovailoa - and has made it clear that the job will be won through competition.
That could mean someone from the current roster. It could mean someone new.
But one thing feels certain: Ewers isn’t going anywhere.
He’s already shown enough to stay in the mix.
Ewers has welcomed the challenge. He knows nothing is guaranteed, especially as a seventh-round pick.
But he’s not backing down from the fight. He’s already proven he can handle the spotlight, and with continuity on offense under Slowik, there’s reason to believe he could take another step forward.
The Dolphins are entering a pivotal offseason, and the quarterback battle will be front and center. Whether Ewers ends up as the starter, the backup, or somewhere in between, he’s already made his presence felt. And for a guy who just wanted to play football - not chase draft status or headlines - that’s a strong start.