The Miami Dolphins may have benched now-former QB1 Tua Tagovailoa, but as of the moment, they are sticking with head coach Mike McDaniel. The team has now been eliminated from playoff contention, but will be hosting the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, and some big news regarding the team’s future has just dropped. McDaniel is reportedly expected to return as head coach for the Dolphins next year, but Tagovailoa will not.
Rap: HC Mike McDaniel expected to return in 2026.
Tua Tagovailoa not expected to return to Dolphins.
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) December 21, 2025
With McDaniel returning but their former QB1 not, fans made their thoughts on the matter heard.
“They should both be gone,” one Dolphins fan noted.
“tua out is a wild rebuild move,” another commented pointed out.
“tuas dolphins exit kinda feels like a done deal now,” said one fan after the quarterback’s disappointing season at QB1.
“With that contract where tf does Tua think he bout to go🤣🤣 pick up the pom poms bro,” one X user commented.
“damn no way they cut tua hes their guy,” another fan added.
“Both Zac Taylor and Mike McDaniel have been screwed by dog sh*t QB play…. McDaniel because Tua sucks, and Taylor because Joe Glassrow misses 70% of games,” one fan opined.
McDaniel has been a bit successful as the head coach for the Miami Dolphins, leading the team to two playoff appearances during his tenure, though he has missed it for two straight years now. As for Tua Tagovailoa, he came in with plenty of hype and was seen as the future of the Dolphins, but has since had a dismal season in 2025, with a lot of fans blaming him for the team’s current woes.
Insider Believes Mike McDaniel Has Support Of Dolphins Owner, Tua Tagovailoa Does Not
As for the reports of what is happening with the Dolphins right now, this is all according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. He was the first to drop news that McDaniel is safe, but Tagovailoa is not.
“Our understanding is that McDaniel, barring some sort of surprise, is expected back next season,” he said. “This is someone who does have the support of owner Stephen Ross, remember he extended him. The two are close. The Dolphins organization does want McDaniel to succeed and believes that he can do it.”
As for the quarterback, there are still discussions of what to do with him, from simply cutting him and taking the $99 million of dead cap over the next two seasons or just trading him after the season is over.
Related:
Is Jordan Love Playing Today? All We Know About Packers Star’s Return After Preseason Injury
Who Are Colston Loveland’s Parents? The Family Behind the New Chicago Bears TE
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
