Following the 8-9 losing season in 2024, the Miami Dolphins were expected to have a winning season in the 2025 NFL. But they were eliminated from the playoff contention last week after a 6-8 record in Week 16.
It’s been 25 years since the Dolphins crossed the wildcard round of the playoffs. Expectations skyrocketed in 2024 when they signed Tua Tagovailoa for $212 million through 2028. Everybody thought it was a clear sign that the franchise had found its future quarterback.
But the Week 15 loss in this year’s NFL season suggests things have taken a different route. After a ton of games, Tagovailoa won’t start the Bengals game on Sunday. But what’s the real reason behind it?
Miami Dolphins Benched Tua Tagovailoa With a Firm Decision
Yes, the Miami Dolphins made one of the most dramatic roster decisions of the 2025 season this week by benching veteran quarterback Tagovailoa. They made this decision in favor of rookie Quinn Ewers for Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Head coach Mike McDaniel confirmed the change on Wednesday, emphasizing that Miami needs “convicted quarterback play,” which he believes Ewers gives them as they close out the year.
Taken fifth overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, Tua Tagovailoa flashed real potential early in his career. But repeated injury setbacks and a turbulent 2025 campaign have cast serious doubt on his long-term future, making it increasingly likely that his run as the Dolphins’ starting quarterback is coming to a close.
In the 2025 regular season with the Miami Dolphins, Tua Tagovailoa completed 67.7% of his passes for 2,660 yards, placing him around the middle of the league in passing yardage. He threw 20 touchdown passes while being picked off 15 times, a turnover rate that ranked near the bottom among starting quarterbacks, contributing to his low QBR of 36.7, which placed him in the bottom tier of qualifiers.
But despite maintaining a respectable completion percentage, his overall efficiency and decision-making metrics declined significantly compared with previous seasons. This forces the analyst to assess whether the Dolphins would trade or release Tagovailoa, given the substantial cap hit.
Can the Dolphins Move On From Tagovailoa After the 2025 Season?
Yes, per many sources, we can say that the Phins might release Tagovailoa two years earlier, before the end of his massive contract. But the downside of this release will be huge for them.
The Dolphins are already committed to paying $54 million guaranteed to Tua Tagovailoa in 2026, no matter what happens next. On top of that, another $3 million of his 2027 salary becomes fully guaranteed on March 15. This puts pressure on Miami to decide on that date if they want to avoid adding more guaranteed money to his deal.
Releasing Tagovailoa outright would come at an enormous cost. It would leave the Dolphins with $99 million in dead cap, which would be the largest dead-money charge in NFL history. That kind of hit would severely limit the team’s ability to improve the roster.
A more manageable option would be to designate Tagovailoa as a post–June 1 cut. That approach would spread the cap hit over two seasons, with $67.4 million counting against the cap in 2026 and $31.8 million in 2027, providing Miami with more flexibility. However, the financial impact would still be significant.
Ultimately, this decision is about accountability and direction. The Dolphins are no longer willing to wait for consistency that hasn’t come, even after investing heavily in Tua Tagovailoa.
Starting Quinn Ewers signals a shift toward evaluation and tough choices, with Miami now forced to balance on-field performance against massive financial consequences heading into the 2026 offseason.
