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The Miami Dolphins’ playoff hopes officially ended with Monday night’s loss to the The Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Dolphins ended up going 0-3 in the regular season, and it will now be more than a 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 of a major quarterback change.
Although McDaniel initially cautioned that he hopes to avoid making a “blind” quarterback decision when asked if he would consider benching Tua Tagovailoa, he later admitted “everything is on the table,” amid an uneven season at 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 Sept. 14, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Photos by Sam Navarro/Imagn)
Tagovailoa finished Monday’s game with 253 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception. While the final numbers for the NFL’s 2023 rushing yards leader looked adequate, Tagovailoa had just 65 yards and a touchdown through the first three quarters of the game. He already has a career-high 15 interceptions this season.
Tagovailoa’s touchdown pass 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 think the quarterback’s play last night wasn’t good enough, so for me, everything is on the table,” he said.
McDaniel also acknowledged the lack of production in Miami’s passing attack in recent weeks. The fourth-year coach said the Dolphins’ pass rush “hurt” the team when they lost on Monday.
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) talks with head coach Mike McDaniel during practice at the Baptist Health Training Complex on July 28, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Sam Navarro/USA TODAY Sports)
Tagovailoa was very critical, saying he needs to perform at a higher level.
“For one thing, I played better. I had to be better for our guys offensively,” he said Monday. “Secondly, I’m disappointed in how good our receivers were, in terms of execution, in terms of guys knowing where to plan, and communication when it comes to personnel.”
“That’s something I play to guys when we’re in our player-led meetings,” he continued, “and I feel like I’m letting our guys down in that aspect.”
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) looks to pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons on Oct. 26, 2025, in Atlanta. (Mike Stewart/AP Photo)
While a decision on Tagovailoa’s short-term future could come from McDaniel as soon as Wednesday, the franchise has been tied financially to the veteran signal-caller for a long time. Tagovailoa agreed to a four-year, $212.1 million contract extension through 2024.
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Zach Wilson, the No. 2 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and rookie Quinn Ewers are the two quarterbacks listed behind Tagovailoa on the Dolphins’ depth chart.
The Dolphins fell to 6-8 on Monday. The Cincinnati Bengals will travel to South Florida later this week for a Week 16 matchup with the Dolphins.
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