When the Dolphins benched quarterback Tua Tagovailoa following the club’s Dec. 15 loss to the Steelers, it seemed like Tagovailoa’s time with the Dolphins was going to come to an end sooner than later.
Now at the end of the season, Tagovailoa said he would be just fine going elsewhere.
Via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Tagovailoa was asked on Monday if he was hoping for a fresh start.
“That would be dope,” Tagovailoa said. “I would be good with it.”
Jackson added that reporters who asked him the question made sure he knew that a fresh start meant being elsewhere, but Tagovailoa declined to elaborate.
While there has not been any confirmation that Mike McDaniel will return as head coach, he also has not been fired as of early Monday afternoon. But it stands to reason that if McDaniel returns, Tagovailoa will not be there, too.
The Dolphins could also move on from both.
Tagovailoa is owed $54 million guaranteed in 2026. He could be released with a post-June 1 designation at the start of the new league year to split his $99.2 million cap charge over two years.
In 14 games in 2025, Tagovailoa completed 67.7 percent of his passes for 1,660 yards with 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.
The Dolphins have started requesting interviews with candidates for their General Manager job.
The team has had some time to come up with names since they fired Chris Grier on October 31. Champ Kelly finished out the year as the team’s interim G.M.
According to multiple reports, the first set of names includes 49ers vice president of player personnel Tariq Ahmad, Eagles assistant G.M. Alec Halaby, Rams assistant G.M. John McKay, Packers vice president of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan, and 49ers director of scouting and football operations Josh Williams.
Halaby, Sullivan, and Williams have made the interview rounds in recent years and all five candidates work for teams that have been regulars in the playoffs in recent seasons. The Dolphins have missed the postseason the last two years and would like their eventual hire to have a hand in ending that drought.
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel’s job security has been a topic of conversation throughout the season and it was on the docket during his postgame press conference on Sunday as well.
The Dolphins lost to the Patriots 38-10 to finish the season with a 7-10 record. They were 2-7 when they fired General Manager Chris Grier on Halloween, but McDaniel remained on the job and the 5-3 finish would seem to be a plus to his bid to return for a fifth season in Miami.
McDaniel declined to share any details of conversations with team owner Stephen Ross or anyone else after the game, but made many references to next season while saying he’s approaching the job the same way he’s done since getting it.
“The conversations with ownership I won’t opine on, but I’m operating the same exact way I always have,” McDaniel said. “No one is entitled to anything. I take the job serious and so I will aggressively attack the job tomorrow, like every day that I have the job.”
McDaniel also declined to discuss the future of the quarterback position or anything else in detail. He said larger reflections on the season were better left for when the team is back in Miami this week and the team’s General Manager search can also begin in earnest with Week 18 in the books.
The Patriots outscored the Dolphins 21-0 in the second half to win 38-10 on Sunday afternoon. It clinched the second seed for the Patriots and put a lid on Drake Maye’s candidacy.
The Patriots finish the regular season 14-3, while the Dolphins head back to Miami 7-10 and with a decision to make about head coach Mike McDaniel’s future. McDaniel is 35-33 in four seasons.
The Patriots outgained the Dolphins 457 to 180, with 230 of their yards coming in the second half when they ran away from Miami.
Maye was 14-of-18 for 191 yards and a touchdown, turning over the reins to Joshua Dobbs with 11:01 remaining in the fourth quarter. For the season, Maybe completed 72 percent of his passes for 4,394 yards with 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He added 450 rushing yards and four scores.
He is the favorite to win the MVP award over Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Rhamondre Stevenson had seven carries for 131 yards and two touchdowns and scored another on a 15-yard reception, while TreVeyon Henderson took 13 carries for 53 yards and two scores. Maye added five carries for 41 yards.
Hunter Henry caught five passes for 56 yards.
Dolphins rookie Quinn Ewers went 16-of-23 for 137 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He took five sacks. Ewers was playing without running back De’Von Achane and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle.
Drake Maye’s MVP case was wrapped up with 11:01 remaining in Sunday’s game.
The Patriots quarterback turned over the reins to Joshua Dobbs with the Patriots leading the Dolphins 38-10.
He went 14-of-18 for 191 yards and a touchdown.
For the season, Maybe completed 72 percent of his passes for 4,394 yards with 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He added 450 rushing yards and four scores.
He is the favorite to win the award over Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.
