Could a Former Alabama QB Still be in Miami's Future? Bama in the NFL Tracker: Week 16

Our colleagues at Miami Dolphins on SI have done a terrific job of breaking down what the options might be for the team if it decides to move on from former Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who will not be starting Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals, and may have taken his last snap with the team that selected him with the fifth-overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft.

In case you missed it, the Dolphins are coming off an uninspiring 28-15 loss to Pittsburgh that eliminated them from playoff contention — which was especially frustrating considering that they had won the previous four games to stay alive in the chase, albeit barely. Statistically, Tagovailoa was 22 of 28 (78.6 percent) for 253 yards and two touchdowns, but he had a bad interception early in the game, should have had another throw picked off, and was sacked four times.

Usually when a starting quarterback is benched like this, it's a sign that the the team is moving on, and that obviously may be the case here. Tagovailia isn't even the backup on the depth chart, he's the emergency quarterback behind Zach Wilson.

Another bad sign for him is that oart Miami's management has also changed. The Dolphins first general manager Chris Grier in October following a 2-7 start. Champ Kelly is the interim general manager and Mike McDaniel remains the head coach through the end of the season.

General managers and coaches being fired when their quarterbacks don't work out are part of everyday life in the NFL, as one's success is usually tied to the other(s). But the team's leadership came into greater question after it only made one significant move during the trading deadline, sending outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips to the Eagles for a 2026 third-round pick. Had the Dolphins been ready to go ion a new direction, former Crimson Tide wide receiver Jaylen Waddle should have been one of the veterans traded to acquire future assets.

Instead, the whole franchise appears to be in limbo, and now the quarterback is as well.

The Dolphins probably feel that they have nothing to lose by giving rookie Quinn Ewers a shot, but they may already be in no-win territory here. Tagovailoa's massive $212.4 million contract extension signed in 2024 makes it very difficult for Miami to cut him, or trade him, but at some point a decision will need to be made.

If the Dolphins release him before June 1, they'll take a record $99.2 million salary-cap hit, and a trade would cost $45.2 million in what's called dead cap space. If they cut him after June 1, the cap space spreads out to include 2027, for a $56.4 million cap hit.

But even if Miami could find a trading partner, which team will be willing to take a chance on a quarterback with serious concussion concerns? And that's an understatement. Philip Rivers coming out of retirement spoke volumes about the lack of depth at the position, but how this franchise didn't have a proven backup on the roster is just another example of how poorly the Dolphins have handled this situation.

So where does that leave Tagovaoloa? It's almost impossible to say yet. The odds seem pretty good for him being on another team next fall, while Miami won't be in position to go after someone like Fernando Mendoza (Indiana) or Dante Moore (Oregon) in the draft. Maybe the Dolphins see who's available in the next tier with someone like Ty Simpson, who may not be a first-round talent. That leaves the journeyman route, giving someone like Mac Jones a second chance, or perhaps seeing if a team decides not extend its starting quarterback like Carolina and Bryce Young. All of those scenarios seem plausible on some level.

Consequently, Alabama fans could still see a former Crimson Tide quarterback in aqua next year even if it's not Tagovailoa.

Bama in the NFL Statistical Leaders

Category, Name, Team, Statistic (Second)
Passing yards: Jalen Hurts, Eagles, 2,929 (Tua Tagovailoa 2,660)
Passer rating: Jalen Hurts, Eagles, 99.4 (Mac Jones 97.4)
Rushing yards: Derrick Henry, Ravens, 1,125 (Jahmyr Gibbs 1,100)
Receptions: DeVonta Smith, Eagles, 66 (Jahmyr Gibbs 62)
Receiving yards: Jameson Williams Lions, 936 (DeVonta Smith 889)
Forced fumbles: Will Anderson Jr., Texans; Quinnen Williams, Jets/Cowboys) 3
Fumble recoveries: Will Anderson Jr., Texans; and Minkah Fitzpatrick, Dolphins, 2
Tackles: Jordan Battle, Bengals, 109 (Xavier McKinney, 88)
Interceptions: Jordan Battle, Bengals 4; (Kool-Aid McKinstry 3)

Bama in the NFL Week 16 Tracker

For the full set of statistics on how the former Crimson Tide players did this week, check out our elaborate Bama in the NFL Week 16 Tracker. It will be updated throughout the weekend until every game is concluded:

Bama in the NFL tracker weekly injury update — Bama in the NFL tracker injury update | Kristi F. Patrick/BamaCentral

The Ultimate Bama in the NFL Database

Contract Info, Status of Former Alabama Crimson Tide Players
Active Crimson Tide Players by Team, Position
All-Time Alabama Crimson Tide Players in the NFL
All-Time Crimson Tide Draft Selections

Bama in the NFL: Game(s) of the Week

We're going with two because they're both games featuring the top teams in in their respective divisions.

First, the NFC South, where the Carolina Panthers (7-7) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7) are tied, and will play again in two weeks (at Tampa Bay). The Buccaneers have won four consecutive division titles since 2021 while the Panthers are seeking their first since 2015 and first playoff spot since 2017. It could be a huge game for Young. Defensive linemen LaBryan Ray and A'Shawn Robinson are also on the Panthers, while linebacker Chris Braswell is on the Buccaneers.

Meanwhile, in the NFC North, both the Chicago Bears (10-4) and Green Bay Packers (9-4-1) want to avoid being a wild-card team and starting the playoffs of the road. Besides, neither team has won the division since 2018, and 2021, respectively. The Packers defeated the Bears, 28-21, at home in Week 14. Running back Josh Jacobs had 86 rushing yards and a touchdown while safety Xavier McKinney was in on seven tackles. Despite his knee injury.Jacobs had 92 scrimmage yards (73 rushing, 19 receiving) and two touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving) against Denver last week.

Bama In The NFL: Week 16 Notes

• Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts bounced back from his five turnover game the way we expected. He completed 12 of 15 pass attempts (80 percent) for 175 yards and three touchdowns with a 154.9 rating in the Eagles’ 31-0 victory over Las Vegas. Per NFL stats, Hurts was just the sixth quarterback all-time with a completion percentage of 80-or-higher, three-or-more touchdown passes and a passer rating of 150-or-higher in multiple games within a single season, joining Drew Brees (2018), Kirk Cousins (2015), Jared Goff (2025), Lamar Jackson (2019 and 2024) and Ben Roethlisberger (2007).

• Baltimore running back Derrick Henry moved back into the season lead among former Alabama running backs with 100 rushing yards in the Ravens’ 24-0 victory at Cincinnati. He has 3,046 rushing yards since joining the Ravens in 2024 and is the fourth player in NFL history with at least 3,000 rushing yards in their first two seasons with a new team, joining Ricky Williams (3,225 with Miami), Priest Holmes (3,170 with Kansas City) and Pro Football Hall of FamerJerome Bettis (3,096 with Pittsburgh).

• Jacobs is just the fifth player since 2000 with at least 1,100 scrimmage yards in each of his first seven seasons, joining Matt Forte, Alvin Kamara, Adrian Peterson and LaDainian Tomlinson.

• Finally, more of a historical note, when Cincinnati wide receiverJa’Marr Chase had 10 receptions for 132 yards last week it gave up 6,572 receiving yards in 75 career games and surpassed Odell Beckham Jr. (6,511 receiving yards) for the fourth-most receiving yards by a player in their first 75 career games in NFL history. Only Lance Alworth (7,532 receiving yards), Julio Jones (7,306) and Justin Jefferson (7,286) had more.

How to Watch: NFL Week 16

Thursday's Score
Seattle Seahawks 38, Los Angeles Rams 37 OT

Saturday's Games
Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Commanders, 4 p.m. CT (Fox)
Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears, 7:20 p.m. (Fox)

Sunday's Games
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers, noon (Fox)
Buffalo Bills at Cleveland Browns, noon (CBS)
Los Angeles Chargers at Dallas Cowboys, noon (Fox)
New York Jets at New Orleans Saints, noon (CBS)
Minnesota Vikings at New York Giants, noon (Fox)
Kansas City Chiefs at Tennessee Titans, noon (CBS)
Cincinnati Bengals at Miami Dolphins, noon (CBS)
Atlanta Falcons at Arizona Cardinals, 3:05 p.m. (Fox)
Jacksonville Jaguars at Denver Broncos, 3:05 p.m. (Fox)
Pittsburgh Steelers at Detroit Lions, 3:25 p.m. (CBS)
Las Vegas Raiders at Houston Texans, 3:25 p.m. (CBS)
New England Patriots at Baltimore Ravens, 7:20 p.m. (NBC)

Monday's Game
San Francisco 49ers at Indianapolis Colts, 7:15 p.m. (ESPN)

Kristi Patrick at Travelmation | Call today!