What Should the Dolphins Do About Their Quarterback Situation?
The Miami Dolphins are no strangers to drama, but lately, it’s their quarterback room that has kept fans and analysts talking. After back-to-back winning seasons earlier in the decade, the team suddenly finds itself staring at a 0-3 start in 2025, with Tua Tagovailoa shouldering much of the blame. The Dolphins have an offense loaded with star power if you look at the stats.
Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle can stretch the field, the run game is steady, and coach Mike McDaniel is widely regarded as one of the more creative play-callers in the league. Still, Miami hasn’t been able to assemble the pieces, and the attention keeps circling back to Tua.
The spotlight has gotten hotter since the front office gave him a four-year, $212.4 million extension in July 2024. The contract runs through 2028 and includes more than $50 million in guaranteed money in 2026, which means Miami is tied to him for at least a few more seasons. The extension was supposed to settle the question of stability, but with turnovers piling up, the conversation has shifted to whether the Dolphins have already hit their ceiling with him under center.
The Highs And Lows Of Tua’s Tenure
It wasn’t long ago that Tua looked like Miami’s future superstar. In 2023, he threw for 4,624 yards and 29 touchdowns, led the NFL in passing yards, and earned his first Pro Bowl nod. That same year, the Dolphins fielded the league’s top-ranked offense and won 11 games, reaching the postseason for a second straight season.
There was hope Miami finally had its franchise quarterback, but the good times didn’t last. Injuries piled up in 2024, effectively sidelining Tua for six games and dragging the team down to an 8-9 record. It marked the first time under McDaniel that Miami missed the playoffs. His QBR slipped to 60.3, landing him 15th in the league, and concerns about durability and consistency resurfaced.
Heading into 2025, the organization clarified that getting back to that 2023 level was the expectation. Instead, the Dolphins are looking at three straight losses out of the gate.
A Growing Chorus Of Critics
The slow start has attracted strong opinions, and former NFL MVP Cam Newton didn’t hold back on ESPN’s First Take. He argued that Tua is making more money than Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, Lamar Jackson, and Jalen Hurts while not delivering on the field. He went on to question Tua’s leadership and suggested that with elite receivers like Hill and Waddle, there should be fewer excuses.
Tua wasn’t about to let that slide. When asked about Newton’s comments, he fired back, saying it’s much easier to analyze games from a studio than to play quarterback in the NFL. He reminded reporters that talking about football is one thing, executing it at the highest level is another.
His frustration is understandable, but the fact remains that through three games, he has thrown five touchdowns against four interceptions, has a quarterback rating near the bottom of the league, and has turned the ball over every week.
What McDaniel Sees
Despite the poor results, McDaniel has backed his quarterback. He admitted Tua still has room to grow but praised his focus during the losing streak. He pointed out that while Tua has made mistakes, he’s also avoided other costly ones, and his mental toughness is part of why the team still believes in him.
Publicly, McDaniel has made it clear that the quarterback is preparing the right way, even with the losses stacking up. Behind the scenes, though, there’s no question the organization has to weigh the risk of sticking with a quarterback who has yet to prove he can carry a team deep into the postseason.
For now, the Dolphins are committed. His contract makes moving on nearly impossible in the short term, but continued struggles will only make the noise louder as questions about the franchise’s future grow.
The Crossroads in Miami
The coming months will determine if Tua can turn the narrative around. A healthy, confident version of him can elevate this roster into contention, as 2023 proved. The opposite scenario could drag the Dolphins into another year of missed opportunities. The front office doesn’t have to make a decision today, but they sit at a crossroads where they might find themselves revisiting the same quarterback debate that has haunted the franchise for decades.