It’s time for the Dolphins to make this change with Tagovailoa. Enough is enough
Don’t be deceived by the stat-stuffing fourth-quarter touchdown throws that left Tua Tagovailoa with a 113.4 passer rating on a night the Dolphins offense mustered three points and fewer than 100 passing yards through three quarters.
If the Dolphins are honest with themselves, this 28-15 loss in Pittsburgh, which officially ended their playoff hopes, also should mark the end of the Dolphins automatically giving the starting job to Tagovailoa every week, no questions asked.
After another stinker for three quarters in prime time, after another disappointment in less-than-pristine weather, there really is no justification for the Dolphins to play another game, let alone another season, with Tagovailoa as the uncontested starter.
Now let’s be clear: If the Dolphins have no better options in 2026 while they pay off the final guaranteed year of Tagovailoa’s contract, then play him. If Quinn Ewers gets a chance in December and flops, then go back to Tagovailoa.
But never again should Tagovailoa simply be gifted a starting job.
What, exactly, is there left for the Dolphins to learn about Tagovailoa?
They know he cannot win in cold weather. (He’s now 0-6 when the temperature is below 40 at kickoff.)
They know he cannot consistently beat good teams (He’s now 3-12 in his last 15 starts against teams with winning records and hasn’t reached 20 points in seven of them.)
They know he cannot win much anymore on big stages. (He’s now 2-8 in his last 10 prime-time games, with 12 TDs and 10 interceptions.)
They know he has next to no mobility. (He now has one first down on 20 rushing attempts this season after coming up short on a third-and-2).
They know he’s more error-prone than ever before. (He threw his league-leading 15th interception on Monday, making decisions that left Peyton Manning, Eli Manning and Troy Aikman in disbelief.)
They know he’s incapable of putting his team on his back and winning several games a year, which seems a reasonable expectation for a quarterback in his pay grade.
So with playoff hopes extinguished, coach Mike McDaniel must do what’s necessary: bench his quarterback and give Ewers at least two games to show what he has, if anything.
Asked about the possibility of benching Tagovailoa, McDaniel said: “It would be very rash and short-sighted if I even tried to tackle that option. I have to look at the tape and move on from there.”
If McDaniel makes a change, he can always go back to Tagovailoa to finish out the season if Ewers implodes.
But what you cannot do is allow Tagovailoa to return as the uncontested 2026 starter. If the Dolphins bring him back simply because they don’t want to release a player making $53 million guaranteed salary next season, we understand.
But it would be delinquent for stewards of the franchise to operate with the belief that he should remain the unchallenged starter, without competition.
“We have to have better quarterback play in order to win in this league,” Dolphins legend Richmond Webb said on X.
Whether McDaniel gets a fifth season or not, everything must start with finding a player to challenge Tagovailoa in the offseason and ideally, replace him.
A weak free agent class likely isn’t going to deliver the answer. But the Dolphins need to draft a quarterback, perhaps multiple quarterbacks, every year until they get it right.
If a disgruntled quarterback asks out (Joe Burrow?), the Dolphins must try to pounce.
This could be a long, painful process, though hopefully not as long as the still ongoing 26-year search to adequately replace Dan Marino.
The biggest mystery is how McDaniel could have seen all of Tagovailoa’s limitations and still advocated for the Dolphins to give him the four year, $212 million extension ($167 million guaranteed) that has left the franchise shackled.
Who, exactly, was looking out for the franchise when a handful of people in charge thought it was a good idea to extend a quarterback who was injury-prone, limited athletically and had failed multiple times against stout defenses before the Dolphins committed long-term to him?
If the Dolphins had simply gone year-to-year with Tagovailoa by using the one-year franchise tag, through 2025 or 2026, they could have walked away without owing him a thing — or with any cap consequences — after this season. Instead, they cluttered their salary cap and tied themselves to a player who isn’t good enough.
Tagovailoa’s underthrown first-quarter pass to Jaylen Waddle, resulting in Asante Samuel Jr’s interception, left three accomplished QBs-turned-analysts dumbfounded.
“It’s Cover 2 and there’s nothing to hold that cornerback,” Peyton Manning said. “When you throw a corner route, you need someone in the flat to hold him. Mike McDaniel talked about Tua being a point guard, not a shooting guard. You don’t have to force those throws. Just take what the defense gives you and be patient. Be a point guard!”
Aikman lamented that he’s “not sure what happened” to Tagovailoa and why he has regressed.
”He’s not quite seeing the field,” Aikman said. “You’re not sure what he’s seeing or not seeing.”
This certainly was not all Tagovailoa’s fault on a night that Miami mustered just five first downs before the first of two fairly meaningless fourth-quarter touchdown drives.
Pittsburgh loaded up to stop the run, holding Miami to 64 yards on the ground, and the passing game couldn’t capitalize.
McDaniel was too cute early rather than trying to ram the ball down the Steelers’ throats. The offensive line wasn’t nearly as dominant as previous weeks.
The defense unraveled after an exceptional first 24 minutes, allowing touchdowns on four consecutive Steelers possessions.
Ultimately, though, this comes back to the quarterback. Don’t be fooled by the two fourth-quarter TD passes and the looks-good final stats (22 for 28 for 254 yards).
Here’s the sobering data that should signify the end of Tagovailoa’s reign as the Dolphins’ unquestioned starter:
▪ His 15 interceptions lead the league, and Pro Football Focus says he has made more turnover-worthy plays than any quarterback in the league (including interceptions that were dropped).
▪ This marked the fifth time this season that Tagovailoa entered a fourth quarter with a passer rating below 55.
▪ Of the Dolphins’ past 15 games against winning teams, Tagovailoa’s only victories came at the Rams and against Dallas and Buffalo at home. The Dolphins have topped 23 points just three times in those 15 games. (And this doesn’t even include a 28-6 drubbing by Baltimore, which was below .500 at the time of their game on Oct. 30.)
If the Dolphins cut Tagovailoa before June 1, his 2026 dead money Dolphins cap hit would be $99 million before falling to $67 million after June 1, according to overthecap.com Conversely, keeping him next season would carry a $56.4 million cap hit.
Trading him before June 1 would result in a $45 million hit on the Dolphins’ 2026 books; trading him after June 1 would carry a $13 million Dolphins cap hit, but would be followed by significant cap hits in future years. (And, who exactly, is going to trade for him?)
If the Dolphins cannot find a better option, then Tagovailoa should start next season by default, because they’re already paying him a fortune. But never again should he go into a game as an uncontested starter.
Quick things
Aikman ridiculed the Dolphins’ peculiar strategy of draining the clock when they were trailing 28-9 in the fourth quarter, yet later trying an onside kick and calling timeouts.
“They’re huddling up,” he said. “This is rather unique… They’re not in a hurry whatsoever. I would be interested in what Mike McDaniel has to say, but they’ve kind of waved the white flag with this fourth quarter… I’m trying to make all this make sense.”
Aikman grew increasingly frustrated. “This is bizarre,” he said. “I’m flabbergasted. As ridiculous a fourth quarter as I’ve seen in a long time.”
▪ The Dolphins ended the night 11th in draft order.
▪. Aikman’s take on this butt-kicking: “After winning four in a row, I think they’ve kind of run out of gas.”
▪ ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky, on Jordyn Brooks and Tyrel Dodson: “I could make the case their linebackers are playing as well as anyone in football. Dodson and Brooks are playing absolutely sensational.”
▪ Ryan Clark, speaking of Texas Tech alums, said the Dolphins “hit with Zach Thomas and they’ve done the exact same thing with Brooks. He’s the heart and soul of that defense.”
Brooks had nine tackles in the first half and 13 for the game.
▪ There was plenty of praise for McDaniel on ESPN in the hours before the game.
“The creativity Mike McDaniel has done is ridiculous,” Jason Kelce said.
Rex Ryan used his derogatory term about McDaniel to give him a compliment: “Nerd Boy -- my hat’s off to you; you have this going,” Ryan said. “The defense is playing well, too. Mike McDaniel has done a hell a job the last four weeks. He’s been outstanding.”
Here’s what McDaniel said after the game.
This story was originally published December 15, 2025 at 11:25 PM.
