It wasn’t much of a surprise when the Miami Dolphins announced Wednesday that they are benching starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. This has been happening for a long time.
It was somewhat unexpected, however, when the team chose seventh-round rookie Quinn Ewers as their new starter and not the more experienced Zach Wilson. Especially for Wilson, apparently.
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Speaking with the Miami Herald After Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel announced the move at center, Wilson reportedly said he was “frustrated” and perhaps also a little confused “about being passed over for starting duties next Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.
However, he wished Ewers good luck, via the Herald:
“Of course, I would love to play,” Wilson said. “…I can’t control that. My job is to go out and do my best. Continue to prepare,…to improve, to support Quinn. I’m excited for him to make his first start.”
Asked if McDaniel had explained why he didn’t get the starting job, Wilson said: “A little bit. There’s still some confusion. But you know what? That’s how it goes sometimes.”
Wilson will serve as Ewers’ backup on Sunday, just as he has for Tagovailoa this season.
The former second overall pick signed with the Dolphins last offseason on a one-year deal worth $6 million, after an unsuccessful run as the New York Jets’ starting quarterback and a 2024 season with the Denver Broncos in which he did not appear in a game. Ewers was drafted in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
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For much of the year, the Dolphins’ QB depth chart was Tagovailoa, Wilson and Ewers. Wilson appeared in three games as a substitute, while Ewers made his NFL debut in October with his first and only appearance. Neither profiles as a long-term solution for the Dolphins, but Ewers would have impressed enough in preseason and practice that Miami opted to give him a spin against the 4-10 Bengals.
Zach Wilson will remain the Dolphins’ backup QB. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)
(Diamond Images via Getty Images)
At the very least, a successful start could allow Ewers to step into a longer-term backup role for the Dolphins, while Wilson will be a free agent after this season.
McDaniel, however, reportedly told Wilson that he still had a chance to play this season. Wilson also spoke about his time with the team in diplomatic terms, via the Herald:
When asked to describe his only season as a Dolphin, Wilson said, “It’s really been eventful, hasn’t it?…The guys have been great and I appreciate the organization that got me here.
“It’s definitely been difficult. I don’t think the season has gone the way we all hoped.
I wish we could have had even more wins and things would go a little smoother. And of course I would love to play, but it happens. So we’ll go from there. »
As politely as Wilson puts it, it’s been a miserable season for the Dolphins, who are 6-8, out of the playoffs and just publicly acknowledging defeat to their franchise quarterback. They have three games left before entering an offseason with some uncomfortable questions, with the Bengals game scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m. ET in Miami.
