Player News

• Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: Relegated to emergency duties

  4D ago • By RotoWire

  Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said Wednesday that Tagovailoa will act as the emergency No. 3 quarterback during Sunday's game against the Bengals, Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald reports. Tagovailoa will not only be benched in favor of rookie seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers versus Cincinnati in Week 16, but he's positioned to be inactive while Zach Wilson remains in the backup role. In that case, Tagovailoa would only be eligible to take the field if both Ewers and Wilson end up forced out of action. Based on the timing of his benching, it won't be surprising if Tagovailoa remains in the No. 3 role for Miami's remaining three regular-season games. Across 14 appearances this year, Tagovailoa has thrown a career-high and league-leading 15 interceptions. If he doesn't take another snap in 2025, Tagovailoa with end the season with a 68 percent completion percentage, 2,660 passing yards and 20 touchdowns, in addition to the aforementioned INTs. He's also rushed 20 times for 43 yards and fumbled eight times, losing one.

  SEE FULL ARTICLE

• Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: Being benched by Dolphins

  5D ago • By RotoWire

  Miami plans to bench Tagovailoa for Sunday's game against the Bengals and start rookie Quinn Ewers at quarterback instead, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Tagovailoa's tenure as the Dolphins' starting quarterback comes to an end at least temporarily, and this move could certainly signal long-term upheaval for the team during the offseason. Head coach Mike McDaniel indicated after Miami's 28-15 loss to the Steelers on Monday that Tagovailoa's recent level of play has been unacceptable, as in his last four appearances the 2020 first-round pick has averaged under 200 passing yards per game and compiled just three touchdowns to go with two interceptions. Ewers will get a favorable matchup versus Cincinnati's reeling defense in his first NFL start, but key fantasy options such as RB De'Von Achane, WR Jaylen Waddle, and TE Darren Waller now face more uncertainty in terms of their respective production floors heading into Week 16. Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212.4 million contract last summer and has $54 million guaranteed in 2026 alone, per Adam Schefter of ESPN, but it nonetheless seems entirely possible that the Dolphins explore making a change at the quarterback position this offseason. It's possible Zach Wilson operates as the backup to Ewers, relegating Tagovailoa to third-string duties for the final three games of the regular season.

  SEE FULL ARTICLE

• Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: Could be at risk of benching

  5D ago • By RotoWire

  Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel suggested Tuesday that he's considering benching Tagovailoa for the team's Week 16 game against the Bengals, Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network reports. "The quarterback play last night was not good enough," McDaniel said. "So for me, everything is on the table." Tagovailoa turned in another uneven performance in Monday's 28-15 loss to the Steelers, completing 22 of 28 attempts for 253 yards and two touchdowns. The two scores came in garbage time, and he also lost 31 yards on four sacks and was intercepted on a deep ball intended for Jaylen Waddle midway through the first quarter. Prior to Monday's loss, the Dolphins had been riding a four-game winning streak, but the team's recent success was largely due to a potent De'Von Achane-led ground attack and an improved defense. Tagovailoa, meanwhile, posted a 3:3 TD:INT and threw for under 200 yards in each of those contests. With Monday's loss ending the Dolphins' long-shot bid for the playoffs, McDaniel is exploring a change at quarterback, with Zach Wilson and Quinn Ewers looming as possible alternatives. McDaniel said he expects to reach a final decision on a Week 16 starter by Wednesday, and even if Tagovailoa retains the job, the mere consideration of a quarterback change suggests that the 27-year-old may not be viewed as the franchise's long-term answer. Tagovailoa is in the first season of a four-year, $212.4 million extension, and the Dolphins would have to absorb a $79.2 million dead-cap hit in order to get out from under his contract before 2027.

  SEE FULL ARTICLE

• Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: Mixed bag in Week 15 loss

  6D ago • By RotoWire

  Tagovailoa completed 22 of 28 passes for 253 yards with two touchdowns and one interception while adding one rush for one yard in the Dolphins' 28-15 loss to the Steelers on Monday. Tagovailoa's final line was certainly useful from a fantasy perspective, considering his passing yardage total was his fourth highest of the season and his multi-touchdown tally was his first in the last four games. He connected with Darren Waller for both of his scoring tosses (six and 13 yards), although both, along with the majority of Tagovailoa's yardage, came in the fourth quarter with the game essentially out of reach. Tagovailoa had failed to reach the 200-yard mark through the air in four straight games before Monday, but he could once again compile some fantasy-friendly numbers in a Week 16 home matchup against the Bengals on Sunday.

  SEE FULL ARTICLE

• Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa: Modest numbers in run-heavy win

  14D ago • By RotoWire

  Tagovailoa completed 13 of 21 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown while rushing once for no gain in Sunday's 34-10 win over the Jets. Tagovailoa absorbed a big hit but delivered a three-yard touchdown pass to Jaylen Waddle on the opening drive. Miami's other three touchdowns all came on the ground, with De'Von Achane (ribs), Jaylen Wright and Ollie Gordon each scoring one. Achane exited in the second quarter, so the Dolphins went heavier on traditional runs rather than the screen passes that usually allow Achane to contribute as a receiver in space while padding Tagovailoa's passing stats. Tagovailoa notoriously struggles in cold conditions, and after this unimpressive statistical outing, he seems unlikely to heat up literally or figuratively in Week 15 at Pittsburgh.

  SEE FULL ARTICLE