Dolphins Bench Tua Tagovailoa, Quinn Ewers Named Starter
The Miami Dolphins have made a significant change to their quarterback lineup by benching Tua Tagovailoa. This decision comes amid his challenging performance during the 2025 NFL season. Tagovailoa has thrown a league-high 15 interceptions over 14 games, marking a downturn in his career statistics.
Dolphins Bench Tua Tagovailoa Amid Struggles
This year, Tagovailoa has recorded an 88.5 passer rating, the lowest since his rookie season. His decline is notable, especially considering his remarkable achievements in previous seasons. In 2022, he led the league in passer rating, while in 2023, he topped the charts in passing yards.
Recent Performance and Coaching Remarks
In a recent game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tagovailoa completed 22 of 28 passes for 253 yards, scoring two touchdowns and one interception. However, this performance was misleading, as he struggled significantly earlier in the match, finishing the first three quarters with only 65 yards on 10 attempts.
Head coach Mike McDaniel criticized the quarterback’s performance, stating it was “not good enough” and hinted that all options were being considered going forward. This signals a shift in strategy for the struggling team, currently holding a 6-8 record this season.
Quinn Ewers Takes Over as Starter
Stepping in for Tagovailoa will be rookie Quinn Ewers, who was drafted in the seventh round this year. Ewers has been mostly inactive but served as the second-string quarterback during a game against the Cleveland Browns, completing 5 of 8 passes for 53 yards.
Ewers’ Background
Quinn Ewers began his collegiate career at Ohio State, where he played only one game in 2021. He later transferred to the University of Texas-Austin, where he achieved impressive stats over three seasons:
- Passing yards: 9,128
- Touchdowns: 68
- Interceptions: 24
As the Dolphins look to rejuvenate their season, Ewers will take on the challenge of leading the team as they have already been eliminated from playoff contention.
