The Miami Dolphins might be hoping for an easy start to the season when they saw the Indianapolis Colts lining up against them in Week 1. However, the game turned out to be anything but a cakewalk for Miami as the Colts thoroughly outplayed them, eventually winning 33-8. It wasn’t until the fourth quarter that the Dolphins put up any points on the board.
An overall brutal showing from Mike McDaniel and his men immediately cast doubt on the entire season. Simultaneously, the fan base was fed up with the group’s lack of improvement, with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa becoming the main subject of their ire.
Could Tua Tagovailoa Lose His Starting Job?
Throughout the game, Lucas Oil Stadium witnessed a bloodbath as Indy dominated with a 30-0 lead over the Dolphins. Even though Miami scored eight points on the night, it was still a disastrous result, as they lost 33-8.
The defense was a major question mark, which was unfortunate for the Dolphins, who are spending top-of-the-line money on their quarterback and two wide receivers. However, the bigger problem was the offensive production.
Unable to generate any consistent offense, Miami tallied less than 250 yards of total offense. The passing game was outright bad, with Tagovailoa ending the night with just 114 yards and a single touchdown.
Add in two interceptions, and it made for a less-than-ideal showing from a quarterback whose future appears to be murky in Miami. Over the last three years, he has led the league in passer rating, passing yards, and completion percentage, respectively.
However, the start of this season has made Dolphins fans immediately turn a corner. Right after the game, a common sentiment arose within the fan base. One fan voiced it perfectly, writing, “Embarrassing as usual. Time to bench Tua!”
Embarrassing as usual. Time to bench Tua!
— Blofish1969 (@Blofish1969) September 7, 2025
With the performance, fans were immediately ready to finish the season. As a result, calls to elevate rookie Quinn Ewers also started to appear. One fan wrote, “Nah bench tua and give Ewers a shot as starting qb to get ready for next year,” while another agreed with his sentiment, “Bench tua. Start ewers to get him some experience before the rebuild.”
Nah bench tua and give Ewers a shot as starting qb to get ready for next year
— Myk🐬 (@mauleani) September 7, 2025
Regardless of the replacement, the one constant was to bench their former first-round pick. Some folks, though, wanted to be a bit more radical. Rather than stop at benching Tagovailoa, they wanted a complete teardown of the organization from top to bottom.
For some, that meant getting rid of McDaniel alongside the quarterback’s demotion. “@MiamiDolphins Fire the coach, Bench Tua and as for the fans, stop buying tickets.”
@MiamiDolphins Fire the coach, Bench Tua and as for the fans, stop buying tickets
— Joe Lowry jr (@24Flogrown) September 7, 2025
For others, the radicalization included general manager Chris Grier. “It won’t be enough , until we don’t get rid of Grier and bench Tua, we will s**k.”
It won’t be enough , until we don’t get rid of Grier and bench Tua , we will suck
— Frankie Frezko (@FrezkoMusic) September 7, 2025
With the success that teams like the Houston Texans and the Denver Broncos have had in recent years by embracing a rebuild, fans believe the blueprint is already crystal clear.
One fan summarized, “Fire mcdaniel bench Tua. All these years of false inspiration and hopefulness… I’m fed up and done. We need a real QB and real team. Broncos, Houston, and so forth have passed up in less then a year.”
Fire mcdaniel bench Tua. All these years of false inspiration and hopefulness… I’m fed up and done. We need a real QB and real team. Broncos, Houston, and so forth have passed up in less then a year.
— Jake Vetter (@Jvett62Jv) September 7, 2025
Others, however, believed a complete teardown was the only solution to their problems. “To blow it up. Fire McDaniel, Fire Chris Grier, Bench/Trade Tua, trade Tyreek, and somehow get Ross to sell the team.”
He wasn’t the only one to feel that way, as some fans added a flair of the dramatic to their vitriol as well. “Fire Grier. Fire McDaniel. Bench Tua. Bring back Flores and Fitzmagic for the remainder of the season. Get Stephen Ross to sell the team and bring back the old logo.”
Fire Grier. Fire McDaniel. Bench Tua. Bring back Flores and Fitzmagic for the remainder of the season. Get Stephen Ross to sell the team and bring back the old logo.
— CE (@H60Crwchf) September 7, 2025
It would be easy to say that this is a fan base overreacting after one game. But the Dolphins have been treading water in the AFC over the last few seasons. This year, in a make-or-break situation, their initial results seem to point heavily in the break direction.
Against a Colts team that couldn’t figure out its quarterback situation, with Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones as the candidates in question, Miami failed to score a single point for over 50 minutes while giving up 33 on the night.
It’s hard to find a situation more suited to the organization’s fans wanting such drastic measures.
