The Miami Dolphins are making a major move under center-and it’s not the one anyone expected heading into the season. According to reports, Tua Tagovailoa is being benched, with rookie Quinn Ewers set to start this Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.
It’s a bold decision, but not entirely out of left field. Head coach Mike McDaniel didn’t mince words following Miami’s disappointing loss to the Steelers, where the offense sputtered for three quarters before a pair of late, largely cosmetic touchdowns.
“The quarterback play last night was not good enough,” McDaniel said Tuesday. “Everything’s on the table.”
That table now includes handing the reins to a seventh-round rookie in a critical stretch of the season.
Tagovailoa’s numbers tell the story of a quarterback who’s struggled to find consistency in 2025. While his season totals-2,660 passing yards and 20 touchdowns-might look decent at first glance, the 15 interceptions are a glaring issue.
That’s the most in the league, and it’s not just the turnovers. Advanced metrics paint an even starker picture: out of 33 qualifying quarterbacks this season, Tua ranks 26th in EPA per play and 30th in success rate.
In a league built on efficiency, that’s a tough place to be.
Monday night’s performance against Pittsburgh was a microcosm of those struggles. Tagovailoa had just 65 passing yards through three quarters. The Dolphins managed only a field goal during that stretch, and by the time the offense showed signs of life in the fourth quarter, the game was essentially over.
Enter Ewers, the former Texas standout who slid to the seventh round in this year’s draft. He’s been developing quietly behind the scenes, but now he’ll be thrown into the fire against a Bengals team that’s still fighting for playoff positioning. It’s a high-pressure spot for a rookie, but it also speaks volumes about where the Dolphins are right now-they’re looking for a spark, and they’re willing to take a risk to find it.
For McDaniel and this Miami team, the decision signals urgency. At 6-8, the Dolphins’ playoff hopes are on life support, and the margin for error is gone. Whether Ewers can deliver remains to be seen, but the message is clear: status quo isn’t cutting it.
Tagovailoa, once the face of Miami’s rebuild, now finds himself on the bench at a pivotal moment. And with just a few games left in the season, the Dolphins are betting on the unknown to try and salvage what’s left.