Tua Tagovailoa benched: Mike McDaniel says Quinn Ewers gives Dolphins 'best chance to win'

Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Ewers gives the team 'the best chance to win'

By Zachary Pereles

Dec 17, 2025 at 4:28 pm ET • 2 min read

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One day after Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said "everything is on the table" regarding benching Tua Tagovailoa, McDaniel followed through. With Miami officially eliminated from playoff contention, rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers will start for the Dolphins in Week 16 against the Cincinnati Bengals, McDaniel told reporters Wednesday.

Zach Wilson will be Ewers' primary backup; Tagovailoa will be the emergency third-string quarterback.

"The decision is complicated but simple," McDaniel said Wednesday. "The simple piece is I think Quinn gives this team the best chance to win. Our focus is, obviously, to win the next three games, but in particular, like I told the players, we are focused on beating the Bengals, so that was the motivation."

McDaniel said the decision "wasn't easy for [Tagovailoa] to hear" but that he "exhibited what makes him a captain and a leader on this team."

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Tagovailoa, 27, went 22 for 28 for 253 yards, two touchdowns and an interception and took four sacks in Miami's 28-15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night, but the box score doesn't reflect how poorly he played. Both touchdowns came after the game had already gotten well out of hand. Through three quarters, he recorded just 65 passing yards and an interception.

"Well I think the quarterback play last night was not good enough, and so for me, everything is on the table," McDaniel said Tuesday.

In 14 games, Tagovailoa completed 67.7% of his passes for 2,660 yards, 20 touchdowns and a league-leading 15 interceptions, which also marks a career high. The Dolphins won four straight games entering the "Monday Night Football" contest against the Steelers, but that had often been in spite of Tagovailoa, who only threw three touchdown passes with three interceptions over that span.

Tagovailoa said he and McDaniel had a brief conversation Wednesday and said he was "disappointed" to hear of his demotion.

"I would say the biggest thing, and it's being honest with myself as well, has been my performance," Tagovailoa said. "I haven't been performing up to the level or the capabilities that I have in the past."

Tagovailoa said injuries have not played a role in his poor performance and added that his job, even as a backup, is to help the team win games. Asked about his future with the Dolphins -- a decision that has quickly come into view with this move -- Tagovailoa said he can only control what he can control.

Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212.4 million contract extension with $167 million in guarantees in July 2024. Moving on from Tagovailoa this offseason would be difficult for Miami. The former No. 5 overall pick is signed through 2028, and he carries a $56.4 million cap hit in 2026. Still, his benching could mark the beginning of the end of the Tagovailoa era in Miami.

And Tagovailoa might not be the only notable player from the last few seasons moving on. Tyreek Hill, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in late September, reacted to Tagovailoa's benching with a viral GIF of a man disappearing.