The Miami Dolphins offense is healthy, with Tua Tagovailoa ready to start at quarterback. The ex-Bama quarterback dealt with injury issues in 2024, missing games for another concussion and a hip injury late in the season. He is a pivotal piece of the Dolphins’ offense, and they struggled mightily in his absence.
But Tagovailoa saw himself disrespected by the “Sporting News” rankings, which ranked him the 28th-best quarterback in the NFL. PFSN’s QBi metric tells a different story, though.
Tua Tagovailoa’s QBi Performance
PFSN’s Quarterback Impact (QBi) assigns a letter grade to an individual quarterback’s performance. We arrive at the grade by factoring in both passing and rushing efficiency and volume. More stable components, like clean pocket performance and EPA per rush on designed runs, are weighed more than less-stable ones, like pressure performance and scrambling.
We also add a “clutch” component that gives extra weight to how quarterbacks perform in high-leverage situations. To qualify for the season leaderboard, a QB must average at least 15 plays per game (dropbacks or designed runs) while playing in at least half his team’s games that season.
Tagovailoa’s QBi grade was 84.4. This was a joint career-high for Tagovailoa after he notched the same grade in 2022. He has been one of the top quarterbacks in this metric over the last three seasons, never finishing lower than eighth in that timeframe.
Tua Tagovailoa has ranked 8th or better in PFSN’s QB Impact metric in each of the past three seasons. 🎯
His 84.4 QBi score in 2024 matched his career-best from the 2022 season. https://t.co/sakyeQ8JuY pic.twitter.com/OhXVwfzm0H
— PFSN (@PFSN365) September 3, 2025
Tagovailoa makes a major impact on the Dolphins and is even more impactful than most of the NFL’s quarterbacks. Even in his limited action, he made his time on the field count.
Why Did Tagovailoa Rank No. 8 in PFSN’s QB Impact Metric?
Tagovailoa ranked fourth in the NFL in EPA per dropback (.21) and second in Close Game EPA per dropback (.4). He also converted 46.1% of third and fourth downs, which was seventh-best in the NFL.
Last season, the Dolphins’ passer completed a career-high 72.9% of passes in 11 games, throwing for 2,867 yards, 19 touchdowns, and only seven interceptions. Tagovailoa’s performance was encouraging in his appearances, while the team floundered in his absence.
MORE: Should I Draft Tua Tagovailoa? Fantasy Outlook for the Dolphins QB in 2025
Tagovailoa needs to stay healthy this season for the Dolphins to bounce back from a disappointing 2024. His absence exacerbated problems with the offense and hurt the production of other offensive weapons. Standout WR Tyreek Hill found it tough to get in a groove offensively and didn’t even reach 1,000 receiving yards.
The Dolphins open their season against the Indianapolis Colts this Sunday, September 7. Tagovailoa is entering the season with a chip on his shoulder to show that his ranking with “Sporting News” was disrespectful and that his QBi rating at No. 8 might better reflect how impactful his play is on the field.
