The Miami Dolphins are officially turning the page-at least for now.
On Wednesday, head coach Mike McDaniel made a headline-grabbing move, announcing that rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers will start in Week 16 against the Cincinnati Bengals. That means Tua Tagovailoa, the former first-round pick and longtime starter, is heading to the bench.
This decision comes just days after a rough outing against the Pittsburgh Steelers, a game that not only ended Miami’s playoff hopes but also raised serious questions about the team’s direction. The 28-15 final score doesn’t quite capture the nature of the loss-Miami was down 28-3 in the fourth quarter before a pair of late scores made it look closer than it was.
And while the loss itself was tough enough to swallow, it was what happened after the game that really lit a fire in the NFL discourse. Cameras caught Tagovailoa on the field postgame, laughing and chatting with former teammate Jalen Ramsey.
That moment didn’t sit well with everyone-especially not with future Hall of Famer J.J. Watt.
Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, Watt didn’t mince words about the optics.
“I know this is kind of an old-school take,” Watt said. “But I think there’s a minimum level of awareness you’ve got to have about how things look-especially to the fans-after a loss like that.
I’m not saying you can’t talk to a friend or share a laugh. But when you’ve just been eliminated from the playoffs and you’re cracking up on the field, that’s a tough look.”
Watt’s comments tap into a broader conversation around leadership, accountability, and perception-especially for quarterbacks, who carry the weight of the franchise on their shoulders. Fair or not, body language and postgame demeanor matter. Fans want to see their leaders visibly hurting after a loss that ends their season.
But now, the focus shifts to what this all means for Tagovailoa’s future in Miami. And the situation is anything but simple.
If the Dolphins were to move on from him this offseason, they’d be staring down a massive $99 million dead cap hit-the largest in NFL history. That’s not just a tough pill to swallow; it’s a financial gut punch.
For now, the Dolphins are handing the keys to Ewers, a seventh-round pick who’s about to get his first NFL start in a high-profile spot. It’s a bold move, but with the playoffs out of reach, it’s also a chance for Miami to see what they’ve got in the rookie.
Is this just a one-week experiment? Or the beginning of something bigger?
One thing is clear: the Dolphins are at a crossroads. And how they handle the next few weeks could shape the franchise’s trajectory for years to come.