Dolphins’ McDaniel updates backup quarterback, other issues
Zach Wilson’s return to the Dolphins’ No. 2 quarterback job will continue indefinitely.
Mike McDaniel said Tuesday that Wilson will be Tua Tagovailoa’s primary backup moving forward unless he’s given reason to change that.
Wilson was the Dolphins’ No. 2 quarterback for the first six games of the season, before rookie seventh-rounder Quinn Ewers won the No. 2 job for the Cleveland game in Week 7.
Ewers made his NFL debut against the Browns, nearly throwing an interception and completing five of eight passes for 53 yards late in a blowout loss.
McDaniel had the two quarterbacks compete last week, and Wilson got the nod for the No. 2 job against Atlanta.
“For now, until competition proves otherwise, the best thing for our football team, in relief duty for a game, or injury, is for Zach to come in and be No. 2,” McDaniel said Tuesday. That could change over time. I’m not looking to change that until they show me it needs to be changed.”
McDaniel addressed other issues heading into Thursday’s home game against Baltimore (8:20 p.m., Amazon Prime, CBS 4):
▪ McDaniel said he’s “very confident” that linebacker Bradley Chubb (shoulder/foot) will play against the Ravens. Chubb said he will play.
▪ McDaniel liked that the team played with a somewhat faster tempo against Atlanta.
▪ Has McDaniel spent more time with the defense recently?
“The only adjustment I made was be around the building in times I wouldn’t otherwise,” he said. “I tried to tighten up orchestration of my day to make time for that. I’m fortunate to have three coordinators that are all very adept at doing business when I’m out there.”
McDaniel said he tried to spend a lot of time with the defensive and special teams units in the offseason, when the schedule allows for that.
▪ Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver was on the Ravens coaching staff as recently as 2023, but McDaniel suggested there’s only so much he can glean from Weaver’s knowledge of the team.
“From an X’s and O’s standpoint, not being there for a year and a half minimizes your inside information,” McDaniel said. “You have to be careful not to overcook inside knowledge because of personnel changes since then.”
▪ Everyone with the team was heartened by Tua Tagovailoa’s four touchdown performance against Atlanta after throwing six interceptions over the previous two games.
McDaniel cited his “incredible response mechanism with his play. Nobody wants to not throw interceptions more than Tua. To let it loose speaks to his mental fortitude, something franchise quarterbacks have to have to be able to flourish in the ebbs and flows of an NFL season. It was good to see him play quarterback very well and lead very well.”
Here’s my Tuesday piece on rookie guard Jonah Savaiinaea and the 2026 schedule.
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This story was originally published October 28, 2025 at 4:13 PM.
