Stay in the game:
Tua Time’s Up: Dolphins Pull the Plug as Miami’s QB Future Goes Sideways
December 18, 2025
It’s no longer Tua Time in Miami. It was announced Wednesday that Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa would be benched for the remainder of the 2025 season, and the Dolphins may look to move on from the Hawaii native in the offseason. Quinn Ewers, who recently was the third quarterback on the Dolphins depth chart, leapfrogs former No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson for the starting job in the last three games of the year.
Now, to anyone outside (or let’s be honest, even inside!) the Dolphins fan base, benching Tua was never a matter of “if,” it was “when.” Tua has been having one of the worst seasons of his career, despite playing in the most games he has since 2023. Now, granted, Tua lost his biggest weapon when Tyreek Hill went down with a severe knee injury early in the season, but other than that, Tagovailoa’s receiving corps have been relatively healthy, which makes it no excuse for Tua’s level of play.
This year, Tua has the second-lowest passing yard total of his career where he’s started at least 10 games (2,660), the most interceptions of any year in his career (15), and taken the most sacks of any year in his career (30).
Tua was a star coming out of Alabama, but injuries quickly piled up, as he suffered concussion after concussion, on top of other issues throughout the years. Tua said at the beginning of 2023 he considered retirement because of his head issues. I have always liked Tua, but have cautioned against him as a long-term commitment due to his serious injury history. Someone with that kind of a track record is a liability, rather than an asset.
The decision to bench Tua looks even worse, as they just re-signed him to a four-year, $212 million extension, with $167 million in guaranteed money. On the surface, it could be the Dolphins are shutting Tua down to prevent any additional injury amid another disappointing season, where Miami didn’t make the playoffs.
Or, it could be a major harbinger of things to come. It’s widely thought the Dolphins will move on from head coach Mike McDaniel, who has maintained the locker room, but is losing the confidence of fans and ownership. The quarterback decision could be left up to a new regime, and if they move on from Tua in the offseason, the Dolphins will take a serious cap hit which could impact their chances at landing top-tier talent in free agency.
Brandon, Author
Brandon spends his days managing a plumbing warehouse and his nights obsessing over the Broncos — and somehow still finds time to write for Broncos Wire. A diehard fan with orange and blue running through his veins, he’s currently training his toddler to boo the Chiefs on sight. Insightful, loyal, and just petty enough to be entertaining, Brandon brings the fandom fire every week.
The Goal Line Grind 