Tua Tagovailoa’s Starting Role For Final 3 Games in Jeopardy After Mike McDaniel’s Criticism

Mike McDaniel saw Tua Tagovailoa struggle in the first two quarters of their Week 15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Tua Tagovailoa’s Starting Role For Final 3 Games in Jeopardy After Mike McDaniel’s Criticism

Mike McDaniel might be done with Tua Tagovailoa (Image via Imago)

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Before their 4-game winning streak, the future of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was a much-talked-about topic. After paying him an enormous amount of money, it seemed as if the Dolphins were stuck with the Hawaiian.

Then, those wins managed to dampen some of that noise, as usual, winning takes care of things. Then came their Week 15 duel against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and it seemed the Alabama QB’s early game struggles became too much to overcome.

They eventually lost, ending their midseason run. More importantly, those question marks about Tua Tagovailoa resurfaced again. This time, when head coach Mike McDaniel was asked about it, he said:

The quarterback play last night was not good enough. So, for me, everything is on the table.

Even if he may not have said it openly, it seems the Monday Night performance was the final straw. Prior to this game, those wins managed to mask how underwhelming Tagovailoa was.

In fact, he had the exact same number of interceptions as touchdowns, and if not for his teammates stepping up, the Dolphins could have been a lot worse at this stage.

All season long, Mike McDaniel had supported his QB through everything. He may not have openly defended his signal caller when he was deflecting blame or when he called out his teammates, but the lack of pushback was evident.

Now, it seems the 42-year-old has had enough, and knows that with them out of playoff contention, it is better that he, both hands out punishment, while also assessing how the team performs with Tagovailoa’s backups.

Dan Orlovsky wants Quinn Ewers to start instead of Tua Tagovailoa

Mike McDaniel’s comments about Tua Tagovailoa spread quickly and had everyone talking about the 27-year-old’s future. On that note, ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky believes they should at least check out their options.

Dolphins selected Quinn Ewers in the 7th round
Dolphins selected Quinn Ewers in the 7th round (Image via DraftKings Sportsbook/X)

I would for the final 3 games start Quinn Ewers. I’ve seen enough from Tua this year… The turnovers have been just egregious… It’s just not good enough… I think it’s time for Miami to bench Tua and see if there is something that those other 2 guys can bring as a glimmer of hope for the future.

Dan Orlovsky said on NFL Live

The former QB did not necessarily say that the Dolphins should just quit on their $53 million player. Instead, he wants the franchise to at least evaluate what the team is capable of doing with its other options.

If this benching does reset Tagovailoa’s focus, then it will be a win-win for them. It depends on how he responds to the benching. Therefore, they should take the time until the offseason to make a call on his future.

Tua Tagovailoa’s enormous contract could be a hurdle

When the Miami Dolphins handed Tua Tagovailoa a $212 million contract, many were left shaking their heads, as there was not enough evidence of him being a game-changer worthy of being paid that much money.

Three-time Super Bowl-winning QB Patrick Mahomes was the obvious reference, as fans and analysts could not understand what prompted them to hand him that much money.

Now, it seems that the contract could end up biting them where it hurts. Tagovailoa is on the hook until 2028. If the franchise wants to move away from him, they cannot do that at least until the 2027 offseason.

If they decide they have seen enough, they will have to find a trade partner or release him. With his reputation in tatters, not many teams would want to absorb such a monster contract.

The Dolphins will be on the hook for $99 million in dead cap. If they release him in 2027, that number comes down to a much more comfortable, $34.8 million dead cap. That also means they are stuck, at least for next season.

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