In his second NFL season, ex-Syracuse star Kyle McCord is ready for his shot at being a starting QB

With quarterbacks in the NFL getting injured each week simply as part of the fast-paced, violent nature of the game, it is certainly no surprise that the Miami Dolphins were one of the latest teams having to place their starter, Malik Willis, on injured reserve Tuesday, after he suffered a groin injury in last week's loss to Detroit. On Tuesday, the team named McCord the starter for Sunday's game in Indy.

The Dolphins are not a good team in Jeff Hafley's first season of yet another rebuild under perpetually fickle owner Stephen Ross, sitting at 1-7 with just a few possible wins likely left on the schedule.

But with head coaching experience at Boston College (before bailing for the Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator job in 2023) and Hafley's NFL work, 'Phins fans can only hope the team drafts well and spends wisely in free agency to get back to future contention.

The Colts rank 28th this week in team defense, giving up an average of 362 yards per game, with 224 yards through the air, something Miami offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik will strategize for McCord, who played his one season for Fran Brown in 2024, Sunday seeking a rare Dolphins victory.

The path to becoming 'McCord in Miami' wound through Philly and Green Bay

The amount of games it took for one-time Syracuse's NFL quarterbacks from (roughly) 2000-present to make their first NFL starts varies from 10 games as rookie for Donovan McNabb with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1999, to also the 10th game of his rookie season for Tommy DeVito with the New York Giants in 2023, after he transferred to Illinois from the 'Cuse.

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Unlike McNabb and DeVito, McCord's first career start is also his first NFL regular season appearance, with all his previous action coming in preseason contests with the Eagles in 2025 before settling on to the practice squad, then after signing as a free agent with the Packers this year.

It was with the Pack in August that McCord's NFL fate turned positive. In the final preseason game against Arizona, which was played several days before the preseason schedule concluded, McCord played the entire game leading the Pack back from an 11 point deficit, throwing four touchdown passes in the process.

With Hafley and Slowik seeking experience behind Willis, trading a sixth round draft choice in 2028 to Green Bay seemed like little risk for the potential reward of installing a quarterback with some experience reading NFL defenses, possessing a quick release under pressure.

"I'm excited to see what he can do," Hafley said Wednesday when meeting with Dolphins media members. "It (starting) opens a great opportunity for him, and I'm happy he will get his chance."

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