Tua Tagovailoa on borrowed time in Miami after Mike McDaniel blast

The Miami Dolphins’ hopes of sneaking into the NFL playoffs are over after their Week 15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, which ended a four-game winning streak. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is feeling the full force of head coach Mike McDaniel’s frustration after another underwhelming performance.

According to the NFL, Tagovailoa has the league’s sixth largest contract for 2025, though most of his performances this year have not justified it. McDaniel did not hold back after the Dolphins’ season came to a premature end.

McDaniel signals possible quarterback shakeup

“The quarterback play last night was not good enough, so for me, everything is on the table. When the standard is not being met, something has to give,” McDaniel said when asked whether a change at QB is likely for Miami’s remaining games against the Cincinnati Bengals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and New England Patriots. He added that a final decision would be made at practice on Wednesday.

If Tagovailoa is benched, McDaniel’s options include former New York Jets starter Zach Wilson, who has a 12-21 NFL record, and rookie Quinn Ewers, a seventh-round pick who has made just one appearance.

What cutting Tua could cost the Dolphins

Tagovailoa appears to be in serious danger of losing his starting role, which could put his future in Miami in doubt. But moving him on would be far from simple, as ESPN’s Ben Solak explains.

“There is still so much money tied to Tagovailoa’s signing bonus ($42 million) and 2025 option bonus ($25 million),” Solak says. “To cut Tagovailoa outright before the league year begins would cost the Dolphins more than $99 million in dead cap, which would obviously never happen.”

Even if the Dolphins wanted to drop him, the best they could hope for, Solak notes, is reducing his dead cap hit in 2026.

“With a post-June 1 designation and by picking up his 2026 option right before cutting him, the Dolphins could get Tagovailoa’s dead cap hit in 2026 down to about $54 million. That’s functionally the same as Tagovailoa’s cap hit ($56 million) if he remains on the roster.”

Rediscovering form may be the cheapest option

Is benching, never mind cutting, Tagovailoa too drastic for a player who led the league in passing yards in 2023 and completion percentage in 2024? After Monday’s defeat, he now leads the league in interceptions and is having his worst season in the NFL by some distance. For the Dolphins, hoping he can regain his form may be the best - and cheapest - option, even if it means sitting him for a game or two first.

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