Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel met twice with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa this week and reaffirmed his confidence in the quarterback, who is tied for the league lead in interceptions.
The two men met for an hour on Monday and 1 1/2 hours on Tuesday. McDaniel previously announced that Tagovailoa would continue to take all the first-team practice reps this week and will start on Sunday at Atlanta (1 p.m., CBS 4).
“There is zero uncertainty on Tua in my conviction on him and belief in him,” McDaniel said. “We are very eager to do better at our jobs and committing and trusting of each other to respond to do what is necessary for the team to do better.”
Miami Dolphins Head Coach Mike McDaniel, at right, talks with Miami Dolphins Quarterbacks / Pass Game Coordinator Darrell Bevell as quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) looks towards the score board late in the second half of an NFL football game at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, Ohio, on Sunday, October 19, 2025. PHOTO BY AL DIAZ [email protected]
Tagovailoa has the NFL’s fifth-worst quarterback rating this season, at 82.4 and has thrown six interceptions during the past two games and 10 overall, which is tied with the Raiders’ Geno Smith for the league lead. He has more multiple-interception games than any other quarterback since the start of 2022.
“He’s at a high-profile position,” McDaniel said. “He knows as a franchise quarterback, when you don’t live up to our own standard, you are [going to hear about it]. I’m confident he will respond in the appropriate manner. He has received” the message.
McDaniel indicated he has met with other players as well and has changed his “routine” to be around the players more “not in a meeting form.”
Lineup changes
In the aftermath of Sunday’s 31-6 loss to Cleveland, McDaniel suggested there could be lineup changes.
Could those changes come on the offensive line, which has been generally mediocre in the absence of injured guard James Daniels and injured tackle Austin Jackson?
McDaniel was noncommittal on Wednesday.
“We will play the best players,” he said. “I’m not opposed to someone [who is not starting] raising their game… I saw a lot of things [against Cleveland] that have room for improvement.”
Has he told his players that there will be open competition at different positions or does he assume they know that?
Miami Dolphins quarterback Quinn Ewers (14) sets up to pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, Ohio, on Sunday, October 19, 2025. PHOTO BY AL DIAZ [email protected]
“Your body of players assumes that,” he said. “In 2022, it’s kind of understood. That’s something that’s always important to me for everyone involved, including individual players. If you give the team the best shot, you deserve the opportunity.”
Quinn Ewers and Zach Wilson are battling for the No. 2 quarterback job this week. “They are going to compete,” McDaniel said.
But… “I’m looking to avoid back and forth [eventually],” McDaniel said. “I want to solidify that.”
McDaniel addressed other issues:
▪ McDaniel was asked to explain his Sunday comment that “we will change our style of play if we have to.”
What did he mean by that?
“If you are asking players to do something they’re incapable of, if you have a team that’s really focused on ending a streak of losses, you make sure the players are empowered,” he said. “If you need to motion more to get guys open, to motion less. If you need to play more zone defense, if you need to play more man defense.”
He mentioned “run pass ratio is a thing” and the team needs to turn the ball over less to generate more rushing attempts.
De’Von Achane has 89 more carries than the next-closest Dolphins player, as ESPN noted. Is McDaniel OK with that or does he need to diversify?
“I am looking to [diversify the offense], but there are a lot of factors that play into that for that to be executed.”
Here’s a look at the areas where Tagovailoa has regressed.
This story was originally published October 22, 2025 at 11:34 AM.
Barry Jackson
Miami Herald
Barry Jackson has written for the Miami Herald since 1986 and has written the Florida Sports Buzz column since 2002.
