Could Quinn Ewers Save the Dolphins’ Season? Breaking Down the Odds of a Shocking QB Swap

• Oct 16, 2025
• admin

The Miami Dolphins’ 2025 season has been a rollercoaster of disappointment, and after their heartbreaking 29-27 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, the frustration boiled over. With a dismal 1-5 record, the team is staring down the barrel of another lost year, and all eyes are on quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. His postgame comments—calling out teammates for skipping player-only meetings and showing up late—sparked a firestorm, including a viral plea from former NFL star Dez Bryant to bench him in favor of rookie Quinn Ewers. As the Dolphins limp into Week 7 against the Cleveland Browns, the whispers are growing louder: Could Ewers, the seventh-round steal from Texas, really step in and replace Tua this season? Let’s dive into the drama, the data, and the (very slim) possibilities.

The Dolphins’ QB Crisis: Tua Under the Microscope

Tua Tagovailoa entered 2025 with sky-high expectations after signing a massive four-year, $218 million extension last offseason. But six games in, it’s been anything but smooth sailing. He’s thrown for 1,211 yards, 11 touchdowns, and a league-high-tying seven interceptions, including a brutal three-pick performance against the Chargers. Add in nagging injuries—a hip issue that’s lingered from last season and a fresh left thumb tweak—and Tua’s availability is in question weekly. He was limited in practice earlier this week but suited up and played through it, only to fuel the locker room tension with his candid (and now regretted) remarks about “leadership problems.”Tua owned up to his mistake in a press conference on Wednesday, apologizing to his teammates and vowing to handle things privately moving forward. But the damage is done. The Dolphins’ offense, once a speed demon led by Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, ranks 22nd in scoring (18.7 points per game), and the defense has crumbled under new coordinator Vic Fangio’s schemes. Head coach Mike McDaniel is on the hot seat, and with playoff hopes fading faster than a South Beach sunset, every decision feels like a referendum on the franchise.Enter the chaos agent: Dez Bryant, who didn’t mince words on X, blasting Tua for finger-pointing without cleaning up his own three-interception mess and straight-up demanding, “If you want to win…put Ewers in!” It’s the kind of hot take that lights up timelines, but is there any substance behind the sizzle?

Who Is Quinn Ewers? From Longhorn Star to Dolphins’ Dark Horse

Quinn Ewers (yes, that’s the correct spelling—Quentin was a fun autocorrect adventure) burst onto the scene at Texas, where he started three seasons under Steve Sarkisian, throwing for over 8,000 yards and 72 touchdowns despite some injury hiccups. A five-star recruit out of Southlake Carroll High, Ewers has that effortless arm talent scouts drool over—quick releases, pinpoint accuracy on the move, and a knack for extending plays like a point guard dishing dimes. Chris Simms called his throwing motion “effortless” in his pre-draft rankings, slotting him as a top-10 QB prospect.

But Ewers isn’t a sure thing. His inconsistency—decision-making lapses under pressure and a tendency to force throws—dropped him to the seventh round, where the Dolphins snagged him at No. 231 overall in April. Miami’s front office saw untapped potential in a guy who could sit behind Tua and learn McDaniel’s timing-based scheme, much like a developmental project. So far, Ewers has zero regular-season snaps, buried behind Tua and Zach Wilson on the depth chart. Preseason flashes were intriguing—he completed 65% of his passes in limited action—but he’s been a healthy scratch, even drawing ire from fans for eating up a precious roster spot early in the year.

Still, in a league where rookies like Jayden Daniels and Caleb Williams are lighting it up, Ewers’ mobile, gunslinger style could inject life into Miami’s stagnant attack. Bleacher Report even mocked him to the Dolphins pre-draft as a “point guard-style quarterback” with starting upside.

The Case For (and Against) an Ewers Takeover This Season

The Bull Case: Desperation Breeds Opportunity

Miami’s at rock bottom—1-5, with the easiest schedule in the league turning into quicksand. Tua’s INT rate (4.2%) is unsustainable, and his injury history (he’s missed time in four of five seasons) keeps the “what if” alive. Bench him for a game or two, and Ewers gets real reps. The kid’s got the arm to air it out to Hill and Waddle, and McDaniel’s offense thrives on rhythm passers who can improvise. If Ewers sparks a win (or two), it buys time for Tua to heal and reset. Phin Phanatic nailed it: With pressure mounting on McDaniel, giving Ewers “real playing time” might be the only move left. Plus, Bryant’s call-out has the internet buzzing—X is flooded with memes and mock lineups featuring Ewers under center.

The Bear Case: Too Much, Too Soon

Let’s be real: Ewers is a seventh-rounder for a reason. PFF’s scouting report praises his quick-ball traits but flags his pocket awareness as “below average,” and he’s unproven against NFL defenses. Throwing a raw rookie into this dumpster fire? It’s a recipe for more turnovers and a lost locker room. Tua’s still the franchise guy, and despite the drama, he’s shown flashes—like his 300-yard, three-TD game in Week 4. The Dolphins signed seven draft picks including Ewers in May, banking on development, not desperation. Wilson, the bridge option, has been serviceable in spot duty, and benching Tua now risks alienating the QB who’s led them to back-to-back wild-card berths.