Tua Tagovailoa was benched in favor of Quinn Ewers for Week 16 against the Bengals.

17 December 2025

The move comes after the Dolphins’ crushing defeat against the Steelers on Monday night. Tagovailoa’s struggles have persisted for the better part of two seasons, and this year he ranks 27th out of 33 qualifying quarterbacks in adjusted yards per attempt, 14th in drop back success rate, and 26th in EPA per drop back. Since losing Tyreek Hill to a season-ending leg injury in September, Tua is one of the least efficient QBs in the league. His contract with Miami doesn’t have a potential out until 2027, meaning the team might have no choice but to pay him $56.4 million in 2026 even if he’s not the starter. There won’t be many teams inquiring about Tua’s services after he was thoroughly exposed in the absence of the game-breaking Hill.