Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel confirmed the report Wednesday afternoon, telling reporters that Quinn Ewers will be his quarterback in Week 16. Not only is Tua Tagovailoa out of the starting lineup, McDaniel said the sixth-year quarterback will serve as the emergency third quarterback against the Cincinnati Bengals.
“The team needs, and I’m looking for, confidence in the quarterback game,” McDaniel said. “I feel like he’s going to play the most guilty position and that affects every player on the field.”
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Tagovailoa shared his reaction to the decision Wednesday when he met with reporters in the Dolphins locker room.
“Of course, I would say I’m disappointed,” Tagovailoa said, via David Frones of the Sun-Sentinel . “It’s a normal human emotion, but other than that, I have to do my job. My role here right now is to help the quarterback perform for this team…I’m not happy about it, but it’s something out of my control.”
Tagovailoa, the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, has started 76 games for the Dolphins in his career and the team has a 44-32 record. But his start Monday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers could be his last in Miami.
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In that 28-15 loss, Tagovailoa threw for just 65 yards in the first three quarters, with no touchdowns and only one interception. That gave the Steelers a 28-3 lead, a lead the Dolphins couldn’t overcome despite two late touchdowns.
This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa reacts to benching: ‘I’m not happy about it’
