After Sunday’s ugly loss to the Cleveland Browns, Mike McDaniel and the Miami Dolphins fell to 1-6 on the season. It is one of the more disappointing starts of any team in the NFL thus far, and the things appear to be just as messy off the field as they are on it. McDaniel’s job is in serious question as we approach the halfway point of the regular season, and wholesale changes are a necessity for a team that has only moved backwards over the last year.
Could one of those changes be at the quarterback position?
Could Tua Tagovailoa Be The Next NFL QB To Be Benched?
Just two years ago, Tua Tagovailoa was playing at an MVP-level in a high-powered Dolphins offense. Prior to the 2024 campaign, Miami’s front office rewarded him with a four-year contract extension worth $212.4 million, immediately making him one of the highest-paid players in the league. More importantly, it was the Dolphins making a commitment to Tagovailoa being their quarterback of the future.
Tua just threw his third interception of the day. Browns lead 31-6.
This is absolute rock bottom.
— Marcel Louis-Jacques (@Marcel_LJ) October 19, 2025
Things have gone downhill ever since. The dreaded concussion issues resurfaced in 2024, and there was a noticeable regression in the then-26-year-old quarterback’s play when he was healthy. There were hopes that the poor overall performance by the team was a one-off, and that things would be different for the 2025 NFL season.
Tagovailoa Has Only Regressed Since Signing $212.4 Million Deal
Not only has there been no sign of improvement, but Tagovailoa and the team are simply moving backwards. There were hopes that they’d be able to pick up a desperation win against a 1-5 Browns team in Week 7, but they were dominated for the entire contest by a team led by a rookie quarterback who started the season on the bench.
A week after throwing three interceptions in a narrow loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, Tagovailoa continued his poor performance. Against Cleveland, he completed just 12 of his 23 pass attempts, and had a total of 100 passing yards. He threw three interceptions, including a pick-six and another that was returned to the 2-yard line. His quarterback rating for the game was 24.1.
I don’t car about the cap hit, Miami needs to move on from Tua Tagovailoa.
— Neal Driscoll (@NealDriscoll) October 19, 2025
The struggles by both the team and the quarterback individually would typically warrant the Dolphins to begin weighing their options. But Miami may be in a spot where Tagovailoa is still their best option despite the poor play. Zach Wilson had been listed as the team’s backup QB through the first six games, but he was demoted to third string for Sunday’s contest.
The team instead elevated rookie Quinn Ewers to second string against the Browns, and frustrated fans on social media have begun calling for the first year QB to be inserted in Tagovailoa’s place.
Tagovailoa’s Career In Miami Is In Jeopardy
Would the Dolphins even consider such a mid-season move? The contract situation and their commitment to Tagovailoa make it unlikely. In fact, the dead cap money that the struggling QB is owed next season make it unlikely that they’ll part ways for at least another year.
One of the things that could lead to Tua Tagovailoa getting benched would be a coaching change. All reports have said that team owner Stephen Ross isn’t in any hurry to fire McDaniel despite the rough start, but any more embarrassing losses could force his hand. McDaniel has been tied to Tagovailoa since arriving in Miami, and the potential interim head coach could be more inclined to make a quarterback switch than McDaniel would.
The Dolphins are scheduled to take on the Atlanta Falcons next Sunday. Will they continue to roll out the same coach and quarterback?
