"Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel benched Tagovailoa for rookie Quinn Ewers after the team's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 15, saying the seventh-round pick gave Miami the best chance to win. Tagovailoa spent the remaining three games as Miami's inactive emergency third quarterback. Speaking after McDaniel's decision on Dec. 17, Tagovailoa said he was "disappointed" but that the decision was out of his control. He also declined to comment on whether he'd played his final game for the Dolphins."
"His tone shifted during the team's locker room cleanout Monday, when asked if he'd like a fresh start after the events of this season. "That would be dope," he said. "I would be good with it." Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212.1 million extension in July 2024, the richest contract in franchise history. But after missing a career-high six games in 2024 due to hip and head injuries, he turned in a down season in 2025 before losing his job to Ewers."
"He threw for 2,660 yards and 20 touchdowns against a career-high 15 interceptions and recorded fewer than 200 passing yards eight times this season, after doing so only six times in his three previous seasons with McDaniel. Moving on from Tagovailoa will be expensive for Miami. He represents a $56.4 million cap hit in 2026 and cutting him before June 1 would result in a $99.2 million dead cap hit next season."
Tua Tagovailoa is open to a fresh start after being benched for the final three games of the season. Coach Mike McDaniel replaced him with rookie Quinn Ewers following a Week 15 loss, and Tagovailoa spent the remainder of the year as the inactive emergency third quarterback. He initially expressed disappointment but later said a fresh start "would be dope." Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212.1 million extension in July 2024, missed six games in 2024 with hip and head injuries, posted a down 2025 season and faces significant cap implications if Miami moves on.
Read at ESPN.com
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