Quinn Ewers Delivers Breakout Performance in First NFL Touchdown Showcase for Dolphins
Quinn Ewers picked a good time to introduce himself to the NFL world - and he did it in style. On Sunday afternoon, the rookie quarterback not only threw the first touchdown pass of his pro career, he did it with flair, launching a 63-yard bomb that lit up the Miami crowd and gave Dolphins fans something to cheer about in a game filled with fresh faces and new possibilities.
The play came early in the first quarter, with the Dolphins facing a 3rd-and-8 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Ewers, calm in the pocket, spotted wide receiver Theo Wease Jr. streaking uncovered down the left sideline.
The throw was on the money - a tight spiral that hit Wease in stride around the Bucs’ 42-yard line. From there, it was all green grass.
Wease, untouched, cruised into the end zone to tie the game at 7-7.
It wasn’t just a milestone moment for Ewers - it was also the Dolphins’ longest pass play of the season, a reminder of the kind of arm talent that made Ewers such a highly regarded prospect coming out of college.
Let’s rewind a bit. Ewers’ journey to this point hasn’t been the most conventional.
He started his college career at Ohio State in 2021 before transferring to Texas, where he spent three seasons from 2022 to 2024. Despite the hype that followed him throughout his college years, Ewers slipped to the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, where the Dolphins took a low-risk, high-upside swing on the former Longhorn.
Fast forward to this month, and Ewers got his first NFL start just last week in a loss to the Bengals. Miami made the decision to bench Tua Tagovailoa - the former Alabama standout who’s been the face of the franchise in recent seasons - and give Ewers a shot. It was a bold move, and on Sunday, it looked like it might be the right one.
Ewers didn’t stop with just one highlight-reel moment. Late in the second quarter, he found tight end Greg Dulcich for an 11-yard touchdown, capping off a sharp drive that gave the Dolphins a 17-7 lead heading into halftime. That second score wasn’t as flashy as the 63-yarder, but it showed something just as important: poise in the red zone, touch on short throws, and command of the offense.
And let’s not overlook the connection with Theo Wease Jr., another rookie trying to carve out a role in the league. Wease, who went undrafted in 2025 after spending four years at Oklahoma and two more at Missouri, made the most of his opportunity - and his chemistry with Ewers was evident right away.
The Dolphins are still figuring out what their future looks like at quarterback, but if Sunday’s first half was any indication, Ewers is making a strong case to be part of that conversation. He showed arm strength, accuracy, and a willingness to push the ball downfield - all traits that NFL teams crave in young quarterbacks.
It’s early, and there’s still a long way to go in both Ewers’ career and the Dolphins’ season. But for now, the rookie has his first touchdown pass - and it was one to remember.