The Miami Dolphins finished their preseason opener tied 24-24 with the Chicago Bears, capping off a rough day in Illinois for head coach Mike McDaniel, who watched both of his backup quarterbacks struggle. The showing could be an ominous sign for Tua Tagovailoa.
All three quarterbacks saw action in the game, but the lowlight came from rookie Quinn Ewers, who completed just 5 of 18 passes — with several throws sailing far from his receivers’ hands. It wasn’t the ideal start for his first snaps on a professional field, especially given McDaniel’s hopes for him to contribute more in the future.
Adding to the concern, Zach Wilson also had a rough outing against Chicago’s defense, which attacked the young quarterbacks relentlessly. Wilson was sacked four times for a loss of 24 yards and attempted only nine passes, completing five.
Potential trouble for Tagovailoa
While Tagovailoa entered the preseason healthy, his injury history makes it likely that McDaniel will need a reliable backup during the regular season. It’s far from certain that situation will arise, but every NFL team keeps a capable second-stringer ready for moments of crisis — and right now, Ewers and Wilson haven’t inspired much confidence.
Ewers, fresh out of Texas, still has plenty to prove, but more was expected from Wilson given his NFL experience. The former Jets quarterback spent three seasons in New York, posting a 12-21 record with 6,293 yards and 23 touchdowns, and is expected to be a stabilizing presence in Miami’s QB room.
Dolphins fans show no mercy
Fans were quick to weigh in on X after Ewers’ preseason debut. “Sad to say but, real ball knowers knew this was gonna be the case with Quinn Ewers,” one wrote, while others insisted the rookie simply needs more time to adjust to Miami’s system.
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