Mike McDaniel made a strong decision by benching Tua Tagovailoa for Quinn Ewers after the Miami Dolphins‘ Week 15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. More than a simple quarterback change for a specific game or a mere move to try something different after being eliminated from playoff contention, it signaled a definitive change for the future.
And while this probably means the beginning of the end for Tagovailoa in Miami, benching Tua might give McDaniel a chance to stay in South Florida. Word around the NFL is that the Dolphins still believe in their head coach and will give him a second chance with a different starting quarterback.
“My understanding is McDaniel, barring some sort of surprise, is expected back next season,” Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported on NFL GameDay. “This is someone who does have the support of owner Stephen Ross, remember he extended him, the two are close, the Dolphins organization does want McDaniel to succeed and believe that he could do it.“
Signs that McDaniel’s future with Dolphins is safe
McDaniel is under contract with the Dolphins through the 2028 NFL season. In August, Jeff Darlington of ESPN reported the team handed the head coach a three-year extension, which reflected the front office’s serious belief in him.
Mike McDaniel during a preseason game.
Not even a disastrous start to the 2025 season seemed to put McDaniel on the hot seat, with the ownership supporting him regardless of the disappointing results or the pressure from fans to make a change.
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Dolphins have reportedly made final decision about Tua Tagovailoa’s career and future in Miami
The Dolphins preferred to fire longtime general manager Chris Grier before making such a drastic decision on their head coach, and now they seem willing to part with Tagovailoa instead of firing McDaniel.
“It is the expectation that Tua has played his final down with the Miami Dolphins,” Rapoport said on the Alabama product, for whom the Dolphins used a fifth-overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Unlike McDaniel, Tagovailoa’s days in Miami might be over
McDaniel isn’t even keeping Tagovailoa as Ewers’ backup in 2025, he’s moving forward with Zach Wilson as his second quarterback on the depth chart, demoting the former first-rounder to the third-string QB spot.
The end of 2025 will let McDaniel see what Ewers can bring to the field after using a seventh-round pick to draft the Texas Longhorns product in April. That will probably allow him to carefully evaluate what to do at the quarterback position in the offseason, if the Dolphins do give the head coach another opportunity.
Miami could either bet on Ewers, chase a quarterback in free agency or use the 2026 NFL Draft for a new signal-caller. The trade option shouldn’t be off the table, though it would require a huge maneuver by the front office. What’s almost certain is that, unlike McDaniel, Tua’s days as a Dolphin are numbered.
