Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel is thinking about a quarterback change.
Following Monday night’s blowout loss in Pittsburgh that eliminated them from playoff contention, McDaniel is now talking about a change at quarterback. He spoke of the quarterback play not being good enough.
History tells me that once a coach starts talking about a change, it usually happens. Look for him to make the announcement midweek and then saying he is trying to give his team the best chance to win over its upcoming opponent. When waffling on whether he’s making a QB change, one generally follows.
Photo: Tua Tagovailoa
Tagovailoa leads the NFL with 15 interceptions. He was previously yanked from the Dolphins’ Week 7 loss to the Cleveland Browns during a three-interception performance, but remained the starter.
Tua struggled in the opening three quarters on Monday. Through the first three quarters, Tagovailoa completed 6 of 10 passes for 65 yards with an interception and took two third-down sacks. Over that span, Miami earned five first downs and 93 total yards. In the third quarter, Miami’s offense generated -20 yards on two drives.
To me, Tua looked lost for long stretches, struggling with pressure, missing receivers and playing ineffectively until the Steelers defense backed off with a big lead.
The struggles for Tua have been season long. Even when the Dolphins win, it is despite Tua. During a recent four-game winning streak, During the four-game run, he threw for fewer than 175 yards in each game with three TDs and three INTs.
McDaniels turned his once-prolific passing attack into a ground game. He had to do something different. Tagovailoa’s issues had a glaring spotlight.
It is clear that the Dolphins made a mistake when they handed Tagovailoa a four-year, $212.4 million contract in the summer of 2024, putting him under contract through 2028.
Now, he could be benched. By the way, Tua is due $54 million guaranteed in 2026.
