Mike McDaniel Hints at Potential QB Change After Dolphins' Loss to Steelers

Could Miami bench Tua Tagovailoa?

Mike McDaniel (right) hinted at unhappiness with the performance of Tua Tagovailoa (left). / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The 2025 Dolphins—always skating on thin ice—bottomed out completely Monday against the Steelers. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was efficient strictly speaking, but Miami lost 28–15 and Tagovailoa added to his league-leading interceptions total.

On Tuesday, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel offered his shakiest defense of Tagovailoa yet—conceding that a quarterback change could be in the offing for Miami.

“Everything is on the table," McDaniel said via Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, teasing more information Wednesday.

Tagovailoa completed 22 of 28 passes Monday for 253 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Each of his touchdown passes came in the fourth quarter, when Pittsburgh had the game well in hand.

"A lot of things have gone on this season... there's been a lot of things in the fold. The bottom line is the natural progression of expectations to attack things and nail things and move into the next thing... my expectation was we'd have a better performance," McDaniel said via Dave Hyde of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

The Dolphins signed Tagovailoa to a four-year contract extension worth $212 million before the 2024 season on the heels of his first Pro Bowl appearance in 2023. He has not lived up to Miami's investment so far, regressing in an injury-abbreviated '24 before an even worse '25.

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