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The Miami Dolphins’ playoff hopes officially ended with Monday night’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Dolphins failed to overcome an 0-3 start to the regular season, and it will now have been more than a quarter-century since the franchise last celebrated a postseason victory. Shortly after the 28-15 loss to the Steelers, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel hinted at the possibility that a major quarterback change could be on the horizon.
While McDaniel initially cautioned that he hoped to avoid making a “shortsighted” quarterback decision when asked if he would consider benching Tua Tagovailoa, he later admitted that “everything is on the table” amid the quarterback’s uneven season.
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Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) stand on the New England Patriots sidelines during the second quarter at Hard Rock Stadium on September 14, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Sam Navarro/Image Images)
Tagovailoa finished Monday’s game with 253 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception. While the 2023 NFL passing yardage leader’s final numbers seemed sufficient, Tagovailoa had just 65 yards and threw one interception over the first three quarters of the game. He has already thrown a career-high 15 interceptions this season.
Tagovailoa’s pair of touchdown throws didn’t hit the board until the final quarter of the game.
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McDaniel highlighted Tagovailoa’s slow start.
“I think the quarterback play last night wasn’t good enough, so to me, everything is on the table,” he said.
McDaniel also acknowledged the lack of production in Miami’s passing attack over the past few weeks. The embattled fourth-year head coach said the Dolphins’ passing offense “hurt” the team in Monday’s loss.
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) talks with head coach Mike McDaniel during training camp at the Baptist Health Training Complex on July 28, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Sam Navarro/USA Today Sports)
Tagovailoa took the blame and said he needed to perform at a higher level.
“On the one hand, I have to play better. I have to be better for our guys offensively,” he said Monday. “Secondly, I’m pretty disappointed in how prepared I have our receivers, in terms of operation, in terms of guys knowing where to line up and communication as far as personnel goes.
“That’s something I tell the guys when we’re in our own player-led meetings,” he continued. “And I felt like I let our guys down in that regard.”
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa looks to pass during the first half against the Atlanta Falcons on Oct. 26, 2025 in Atlanta. (Mike Stewart/AP Photo)
While McDaniel could make a decision on Tagovailoa’s short-term future as soon as Wednesday, the franchise is financially tied to the veteran signal-caller for the long term. Tagovailoa agreed to a four-year, $212.1 million contract extension in 2024.
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Zach Wilson, the second pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and rookie Quinn Ewers are the two quarterbacks listed behind Tagovailoa on the Dolphins’ depth chart.
The Dolphins fell to 6-8 on Monday. The Cincinnati Bengals will travel to South Florida later this week for a Week 16 matchup with the Dolphins.
