After Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel decided to demote long-time starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to emergency third-string, the team went on to get blown out by the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16.
Rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers got his first start of his career in the game, leading to a rocky outing that resulted in completing 20 of 30 pass attempts for 260 yards and two interceptions.
The Dolphins will look to put this game behind them as they prepare for Week 17 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and head coach Mike McDaniel appears to be committed to the rookie quarterback.
McDaniel: "When I say someone gives us the best chance to win, I mean it."
The decision to bench Tua Tagovailoa came after the Dolphins' first loss in over a month, losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 15, which knocked Miami out of playoff contention.
This move to give other players opportunities has hinted that Tagovailoa has played in his final game as a member of the Dolphins, and Mike McDaniel doubled down on the move ahead of the final two weeks of the regular season.
"I don't play Monopoly with people's careers... When I say someone gives us the best chance to win, I mean it," the head coach said. "The idea of not trying to win football games and football players' careers kind of triggers me."
🎥 Mike McDaniel on benching Tua Tagovailoa for Quinn Ewers and the notion that the team could be tanking:
— FinsXtra (@FinsXtra) December 22, 2025
"I don't play Monopoly with people's careers... When I say someone gives us the best chance to win, I mean it." (@MiamiDolphins) #PhinsUp pic.twitter.com/g3lE4oHFUc
After this season, Tagovailoa has approximately $111.4 million remaining on his contract over the final three years, with a potential opt-out clause after 2026.
A contract like this is going to be hard to move for Miami, but there could be teams interested in the 27-year-old this offseason.
Many decisions will need to be made by the Dolphins moving forward. Is Mike McDaniel going to be fired? What are the plans for players like Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill?
Some changes appear to be happening, but nothing is quite yet confirmed.
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