How ex-players, coaches with national platforms reacted to Dolphins, Tagovailoa
Another disappointing performance in a big game triggered a Tuesday torrent of reaction on the state of the Dolphins, who have now gone a league-leading 25th consecutive season without a playoff victory.
There was more reaction in the mid-afternoon, when coach Mike McDaniel said he’s considering replacing Tua Tagovailoa as the team’s starting quarterback.
What former coaches and players with national platforms are saying:
▪ ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky: “I thought Miami had become a different team. Was wrong. Dead wrong... I am disappointed the way Tua has played all year. I would for the final three games start Quinn Ewers. I’ve seen enough from Tua this year.
“The turnovers are egregious. They were the start of the season against Indianapolis, and they’re not getting fixed. It’s just not good enough for the quarterback that should have been their franchise guy. Zach Wilson, you can make the case for.
“It’s time for Miami to bench Tua and see if there’s something that those other two guys can bring as a glimmer of hope for the future.”
▪ Former NFL coach Bruce Arians, now an analyst on Pat McAfee’s ESPN show: “The guy [Tagovailoa] hasn’t gotten any better. If anything, he got worse. He takes these damn sacks when he could just throw the ball around. That [interception to Asante Samuel Jr.] is inexcusable for a six-year vet.”
▪ SpeakEasyTLC Show’s Emmanuel Acho: “No more sugarcoating it. The Dolphins need to blow it up, plain and simple!! The Dolphins needed this blowout.
“I didn’t want a streak of wins, against predominantly awful teams, to give this organization any false hope about where they stand.
“The Dolphins need to get tougher, they need to get more talented and they need better quarterback play.”
▪ Podcaster and former NFL star running back LeSean McCoy, on Acho’s show: “He’s too little. Got little arms, little fingers, little hands, don’t throw the ball deep... I’m tired of it. It’s time to move on.”
▪ ESPN’s Jeff Saturday, the former Colts standout center and interim head coach: “They’re stuck with Tua. They’re [actually] stuck with both [the coach and the quarterback].
“If you own the Dolphins, you’re concerned because the coach hasn’t done what you expected, and he was part of keeping Tua. At some point, you’re responsible for keeping guys around. Now you’re in a position where you’re $100 million in, and you have to find a guy.”
▪ ESPN’s Domonique Foxworth: “It seemed like [McDaniel] was at the bottom of the bottom and everyone was laughing at [them] and he turned this team into something more respectable. Yeah, I want to keep that guy. We have to find other pieces — a quarterback they think they have a long-term future with.”
▪ CBS and ESPN analyst Jason McCourty said if you bring back McDaniel and Tagovailoa, “what do you expect to be different? To a certain extent, you can make the argument for McDaniel.
“But it’s hard to believe this would be a team that would go further next year. Tear it down! They don’t have a quarterback you believe in that can win games down the stretch of a season. You have to hit reset and start over.”
▪ NFL Network analyst and former offensive lineman Brian Baldinger was among those dumbfounded by the Dolphins’ leisurely offense when trailing in the fourth.
“Do the Dolphins not have a no-huddle offense? This is offensive.”
And there was this from ESPN host Mike Greenberg: “Am I the only one interested in seeing what McDaniel might do with a different quarterback?”
We all might see with Zach Wilson (or Quinn Ewers) if McDaniel makes a change Wednesday.
“This is a quarterback-friendly offense,” ESPN’s Mina Kimes said. “Defenses are going to sell out to stop the run. There are 1-on-1 opportunities. You don’t need Ewers or Wilson to push the ball down the field very much. You just need a point guard. Mike McDaniel can call a really perfect game for that kind of quarterback.”
Here are more Tuesday Dolphins news and notes.
This story was originally published December 16, 2025 at 4:56 PM.
