Mike McDaniel sends strong message on Quinn Ewers' job replacing Tua Tagovailoa as Dolphins QB

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel struck a deliberate tone when addressing Quinn Ewers’ role stepping in for Tua Tagovailoa, making it clear the evaluation goes beyond a single result. While the loss fueled frustration around the Dolphins, McDaniel signaled confidence in how Ewers handled the responsibility.

“Mike McDaniel said Quinn Ewers has “earned the opportunity to continue to develop”: “I was happy how he handled the position — that’s not easy. That’s what’s frustrating, is it’d be a lot easier if (the loss) was on the rookie quarterback, but I don’t think it was,” Marcel Louis-Jacques wrote regarding McDaniel’s comments.

Against the Bengals, Quinn Ewers put up a “good-not-great” stat line, throwing for 260 yards. However, he was plagued by two interceptions. Despite the turnovers, McDaniel was quick to shield his rookie after the game and that’s a good signal.

Is the Tua Tagovailoa era officially over?

While Tua’s status for next season remains up in the air, a recent report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter suggests the writing is on the wall. According to the NFL insider, “the most likely scenario will be that he would be released.” Schefter added that the franchise’s direction hinges on a front-office shakeup: “The Dolphins are currently looking for a new general manager, and whoever they hire will decide what happens with Tua.”

That doesn’t necessarily mean the keys to the kingdom belong to Ewers just yet. With the regular season winding down and roster evaluations looming, his hold on the starting job is far from guaranteed. The Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson floated the idea of Ewers as a long-term solution, noting that a “diamond in the rough” scenario is exactly what the city needs.

“Though many of the issues have been self-inflicted for 25 years, the Dolphins deserve a break,” Jackson wrote. “If Ewers can become another Purdy, in terms of 7th-round success stories, and run this Shanahan/McDaniel offense effectively, that would be a massive lift.”