MIAMI — The Cincinnati Bengals are now preparing to face a brand new quarterback as their Week 16 opponent, the Miami Dolphins, make some major changes ahead of Sunday.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero first reported Wednesday that Miami is benching longtime QB Tua Tagovailoa in favor of rookie Quinn Ewers ahead of Sunday's game.
The move comes after McDaniel said during his weekly press conference that the quarterback play hasn't been "good enough." The Dolphins sit at 6-8 and are, like the Bengals, eliminated from playoff contention.
For years, fans and pundits have questioned whether Tagovailoa was the quarterback who could actually take Miami to the next level. He and the team in 2024 agreed to a four-year, $212.4 million contract. However, in the two seasons since, the 27-year-old has dealt with injuries and inconsistent play, including 22 interceptions.
Ewers was selected by the Dolphins in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL draft. He was promoted to Miami's backup over Zach Wilson ahead of Week 7 and made his first appearance for the Dolphins in the fourth quarter of Miami's 31-6 loss to the Browns.
