Former Dolphins backup QB Skylar Thompson to sign with the Steelers
The Miami Dolphins will have to look elsewhere for a backup quarterback.
Skylar Thompson signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday, effectively ending his three-year career in Miami. His agency, SportsTrust Advisors, confirmed the deal via X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. The terms of Thompson’s contract are unclear.
“Signed, sealed & delivered!” the agency’s post read.
Thompson entered the 2024 season the backup behind franchise quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Two games into the season, however, the 2022 seventh-round pick would be thrust into the starter role after Tagovailoa sustained a concussion against the Buffalo Bills. He would start the very next game versus the Seattle Seahawks and turned in a disastrous performance, completing roughly 68% of his passes for 107 yards before he exited in the third quarter with a rib injury.
The 27-year-old avoided injured reserve but wouldn’t receive any more snaps until the Week 12 blowout of the New England Patriots. In the game, Thompson and tailback Jaylen Wright didn’t connect on a handoff, leading to a fumble that Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez’s scooped up and ran 63 yards for a touchdown. Coach Mike McDaniel was asked afterwards if he still trusted Thompson.
“I trust Skylar,” McDaniel said Nov. 25. “I think the situation this past game was unacceptable from just the whole unit. I think that from our perspective, I think across the board that’s not to our standard from the way we came out of the huddle to the execution of plays and then to give up points on an offensive play. And I won’t get into the nitty gritty of — I’m not going to point fingers at a microphone, but ultimately, that falls on everybody involved including the coaches that we can’t have that collective effort. That wasn’t him just responsible for, but my reaction towards it wasn’t strictly based on him; it was more of a tonality with the whole group.”
Although Thompson took responsibility for the mishap, he was relegated to third string quarterback behind Tyler “Snoop” Huntley a short time later. The switch ultimately came down to his “operation” of the offense, according to Thompson.
“The operation and stepping in there and being able to operate everything,” Thompson said Dec. 5. “At the end of the day, it comes down to that.”
Thompson was subsequently released and brought back to the Dolphins via the practice squad in mid-December.
With both Thompson and Huntley now out of the building, backup quarterback just became even more of an immediate need – especially considering Tagovailoa’s injury history. Dolphins general manager Chris Grier discussed the position following a devastating 32-20 loss to the New York Jets in the regular season finale.
“That’s a position we will always focus on, and it will be a position that we will focus on this offseason,” Grier said.
Although Grier mentioned that the Dolphins “were runner-ups for” a couple of “topflight backup quarterbacks” ahead of the 2024 season, the two sides ultimately couldn’t reach an agreement. He did, however, take solace in that the potential suitors were “all excited about our skill group.” Grier also promised to aggressively address the positional need in the 2025 offseason.
“I will tell you that every stone will be unturned at that position including the draft,” Grier said.
This story was originally published January 14, 2025 at 4:02 PM.
