Tua Tagovailoa said Wednesday that he’s “disappointed” about being replaced as the Dolphins’ starting quarterback and is unsure about his future with the team.
“Naturally, I’d say I’m disappointed; it’s a normal human emotion,” he said during a three-plus minute interview at his locker, 15 minutes after coach Mike McDaniel formally named rookie Quinn Ewers as the starter for Sunday’s home game against Cincinnati (1 p.m., CBS 4)
“…I’m not happy about it,” Tagovailoa said. “Outside of that, I’ve got to do my part. My road here right now is to help whoever the quarterback is going to be for this team, help him whatever way I can to win this game on Sunday.”
He said McDaniel informed him of the decision in a “brief conversation” but didn’t offer an extended explanation.
Asked if he believes he has played his last game in a Dolphins uniform, Tagovailoa said: “I’m not too sure. I can’t predict the future. I can’t predict any of that. It is what it is. I’ve got to help out Q, help out [No. 2 quarterback Zach Wilson].”
Asked whether this benching affects his future with the team, he said that “is out of my control. I control what I can control. I’ll leave it at that.”
Tagovailoa said he “loves this team” and did not express any desire to be released or traded after the season.
Mike McDaniel said he replaced Tagovailoa with Ewers because Ewers gives the team “the best chance to win” against Cincinnati and is playing quarterback with more conviction.
Why is Tagovailoa not playing the position with as much conviction as the past?
“Not too sure,” Tagovailoa said.
Tagovailoa, who has thrown a league-leading 15 interceptions, acknowledged he hasn’t played up to his or the team’s standards.
“The biggest thing, being honest with myself as well, is my performance,” he said when asked to explain how he lost his starting job. “I haven’t been performing up to my levels and my capabilities that I have in the past.”
Does it bother him that he will be the emergency third quarterback instead of the backup?
“I’m here,” he answered. “My role right now is if I’m not starting is to help the starter help us win.”
Asked if his hip or any physical issues have affected his play, he said “no” without elaborating.
He said he will help Ewers and Wilson any way he can because “it’s a lot bigger than football at times. I love this team. I love the guys on this team. I’ve created great relationships with guys on this team. I’ve got to do what I can to help, whatever that role looks like.”
Could this benching be a positive in any way?
“Sure,” he said. “I think you have to look at it as a positive. Sure, you can look at some of the things and learn from the negatives. But you’ve got to be able to take some of the positives from that too. This is a good time for me to reflect on a lot of the things that have happened throughout the season.”
Here’s an in-depth look at all of the cap consequences and risks involved with keeping Tagovailoa, cutting Tagovailoa or playing him again and a full look at Miami’s 2026 cap situation.
Here’s more of what McDaniel said about the quarterback change.
Here’s my news story on the quarterback switch, and recent comments from Ewers.
This story was originally published December 17, 2025 at 3:46 PM.
Barry Jackson
Miami Herald
Barry Jackson has written for the Miami Herald since 1986 and has written the Florida Sports Buzz column since 2002.
