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The writing may be a little smudged, but it’s on the wall: Tua Tagovailoa’s time with the Miami Dolphins could be coming to an end after being benched for the remainder of the 2025 season.
Head coach Mike McDaniel announced that seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers of Texas will be the team’s starter for the remaining three games on the schedule, and Tagovailoa will move to the third line with Zach Wilson, his season-long backup, remaining in his role.
Tagovailoa spoke about the demotion following the team’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 15, which could very well be his last in a Dolphins uniform.
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Tua Tagovailoa (1) of the Miami Dolphins walks off the field after a failed two-point conversion attempt in the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on December 15, 2025. (Justin Berl/AP Photo)
“Naturally, I would say I’m disappointed,” Tagovailoa said. “It’s a normal human emotion. Other than that, I have to do my part, my role here right now is to help whoever the quarterback is on this team, lead this team, help him in any way I can to help the team win this game on Sunday.”
It’s been a difficult task for Tagovailoa in his sixth season with the Dolphins. He leads the NFL with 15 interceptions, while throwing for 20 touchdowns and 2,660 yards in 14 games. The Dolphins have gone 6-8 during his starts this year.
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Tagovailoa was able to rack up 253 passing yards with two touchdowns in the 28-15 loss to Pittsburgh, but he only had 65 passing yards in three quarters with one interception before the fourth quarter in which Pittsburgh seemed to let off the gas on defense.
McDaniel noted after the game that his quarterback’s play “wasn’t good enough.”
Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins watches before the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on December 15, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
“Disappointed, I’m not happy,” Tagovailoa said of his performance. “But something that is out of my control. I would say the most important thing, and to be honest with myself as well, was my performance. I have not been performing at the level and capabilities that I had in the past.”
It was just two years ago that Tagovailoa led the NFL in passing yards (4,624) while throwing 29 touchdowns in an 11-6 season for Miami. That ultimately led the franchise to extend him four years in a deal worth $212.4 million with $167 million guaranteed.
But more concussion issues arose in 2024, although Tagovailoa led the league in completion percentage (72.9) in his 11 games. The Dolphins went 6-5 in that span, but failed to make the playoffs.
Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins looks to pass during the first quarter of the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on December 15, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
If the Dolphins were to release Tagovaviloa and start over at quarterback this offseason, it would cost them $99.2 million in dead cap space, although they could spread it over two years.
Meanwhile, Ewers’ first NFL start will be against Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals in Miami Gardens on Sunday.
