Key Highlights
- The Miami Dolphins are facing the New England Patriots in their regular season finale.
- Tua Tagovailoa has been benched after a Week 15 loss, raising questions about his future with the team.
- Quinn Ewers has shown promise as he leads the Dolphins to their only win of the season against the Buffalo Bills.
- The Dolphins plan to bring in competition for the starting quarterback position next year.
The Miami Dolphins’ Quarterback Conundrum
The Miami Dolphins are set to face off against their arch-rivals, the New England Patriots, with a season that has seen them struggle on multiple fronts. The game marks the final match of the 2025 NFL regular season for the Dolphins and comes as they seek to avoid double-digit losses for the first time since 2019.
A Quarterback Crisis
Following a disappointing Week 15 loss on Monday Night Football, Tua Tagovailoa was benched. The decision has left many questioning his future with the Dolphins and whether he will return in 2026. Head coach Mike McDaniel acknowledged that Tagovailoa is still on the team’s roster but did not comment further on his plans for the quarterback.
Tagovailoa’s exit from the starting lineup has opened up a competition for the position, with rookie seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers emerging as the frontrunner. Despite going 1-1 in the last two weeks of the season, Ewers has shown enough promise to earn McDaniel’s support, who praised him for his leadership abilities.
Competition on the Horizon
The Dolphins have announced that they will be signing rookie Cam Miller from the Raiders’ practice squad. Although Miller has yet to play an NFL snap, he was drafted in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft after being impressed by minority owner Tom Brady’s scouting efforts.
Additionally, former first-round pick Zach Wilson is on the Dolphins roster and is set to be a free agent following the season. This means that the Dolphins will need to decide their quarterback future amidst multiple options. Reports suggest that the team plans to move off Tagovailoa, who has a $54 million cap hit.
Head Coach’s Uncertain Future
The Dolphins’ current head coach, Mike McDaniel, is also in an uncertain position for the 2026 season. General manager and owner Stephen Ross will make the final decision on his future after consulting with the coaching staff. This adds another layer of complexity to a quarterback situation that is already fraught with uncertainty.
Meanwhile, Ewers will have one more start this season to prove himself, while McDaniel faces the challenge of leading the team in their final game against a Patriots defense ranked fifth in the NFL for points allowed.
The outcome could potentially influence not only Ewers’s prospects but also McDaniel’s future with the Dolphins.
The 2026 season is expected to mark the first quarterback competition the Dolphins have had since the 2020 season, when Ryan Fitzpatrick and rookie Tua Tagovailoa competed for the starting job. Fitzpatrick ultimately won that competition but was later replaced by Tagovailoa midway through the year.
The Dolphins’ decision on their quarterback will not only affect the team’s immediate future but could also have long-term implications for the franchise’s direction in the NFL landscape.
