The Miami Dolphins made the massive decision heading into Week 16 to bench starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Mike McDaniel had seen enough after getting eliminated and made the switch.
With a Week 16 matchup on deck against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Dolphins will have a new-look quarterback room, with Quinn Ewers leading the way for Miami.
But, instead of being the backup, Tagovailoa was deemed inactive by the Dolphins for this Week 16 matchup. Zach Wilson is the backup to Ewers instead of Tagovailoa, and the "why" behind this decision makes a lot of sense.
Why Dolphins made Tua Tagovailoa inactive for week 16
Instead of making Tagovailoa the backup to Ewers in Week 16, the Dolphins ruled the lefty quarterback out for the Bengals matchup.
Tagovailoa is the team's emergency third quarterback, which means he could only get back onto the field if both Ewers and Wilson were to get hurt.
But, barring such a drastic situation, Tagovailoa will likely not see another snap this season for the Dolphins.
With the team planning to move on from the $212 million quarterback this offseason, there's little reason to risk an injury, and his contract guarantees for injury kicking in.
Teams have benched players before, as most recently seen with the New Orleans Saints and Derick Carr in recent years. While it might be a controversial method, it guarantees that the guarantees for injury don't come into play.
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And for the Dolphins, getting a chance to see Ewers, and at worst, due to injury, Zach Wilson, is worth making Tagovailoa inactive.
Tagovailoa has nothing left to show the Dolphins, whereas Ewers or Wilson could prove to be worthwhile starters for the 2026 season.
Miami won't gain anything from having Tagovailoa on the field again this season, but with Ewers and Wilson, they could see some promise from a young quarterback if one of them plays well in the final three weeks.
Tagovailoa is inactive for the Dolphins in Week 16, and it's a move that makes a ton of sense for Miami. He'll likely stay inactive for the rest of the year, as the Dolphins prepare to cut ties with the veteran quarterback after the 2025 season.
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