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The Miami Dolphins' playoff hopes officially ended with Monday night's loss to the team. Pittsburgh Steelers.
Dolphins failed to overcome a 0-3 start to the regular season, and it will now be more than a quarter century since the franchise last celebrated a postseason victory. Shortly after the 28-15 loss to the Steelers, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel hinted at the possibility that a major quarterback change could be on the horizon.
While McDaniel initially cautioned that he hoped to avoid making a “myopic” decision at quarterback when asked if he would consider benching Tua Tagovailoa, he later admitted that “everything is on the table” amid an uneven season for the quarterback.
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Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) stand on the sideline against the New England Patriots during the second quarter at Hard Rock Stadium on September 14, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Sam Navarro/Imagn Images)
Tagovailoa finished Monday's game with 253 yards passing, two touchdowns and one interception. While the final numbers for the 2023 NFL passing yards leader looked adequate, Tagovailoa had just 65 yards and an interception through the first three quarters of the game. He's already thrown a career-high 15 interceptions this season.
Tagovailoa's pair of touchdown passes didn't get on the board until the final quarter of the game.
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McDaniel pointed to Tagovailoa's slow start.
“I don't think the quarterback's play last night was good enough, so it's all on the line for me,” he said.
McDaniel also acknowledged the lack of production in Miami's passing attack over the past few weeks. The embattled fourth-year head coach said the Dolphins' passing offense “hurt” the team in Monday's loss.
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) talks with head coach Mike McDaniel during training camp at the Baptist Health Training Complex on July 28, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Sam Navarro/USA Today Sports)
Tagovailoa took the blame, saying he needed to perform at a higher level.
“First of all, I have to play better. I have to be better for our guys offensively,” he said Monday. “Secondly, I’m really disappointed in how much I prepared our receivers in terms of performance, in terms of guys knowing where to line up and communication when it comes to personnel.
“I tell the guys this when we have player-led meetings,” he continued. “And I felt like I let our guys down in that aspect.”
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa looks to throw a pass in the first half against the Atlanta Falcons on Oct. 26, 2025, in Atlanta. (Mike Stewart/AP Photo)
While a decision on Tagovailoa's short-term future could be made by McDaniel as early as Wednesday, long-term the franchise is financially tied to the veteran carrier. Tagovailoa agreed to a four-year contract worth $212.1 million. contract extension in 2024.
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Zach Wilson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and rookie Quinn Evers are the two quarterbacks listed behind Tagovailoa on the Dolphins' depth chart.
The Dolphins fell to 6-8 on Monday. Cincinnati Bengals will travel to South Florida later this week for a Week 16 matchup with the Dolphins.
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