What would constitute a "worst-case scenario" for the Miami Dolphins in 2026? Honestly, it's nearly impossible to think of one, specifically, at least not one that isn't named Tua Tagovailoa.
If we run through the checked boxes, nothing adds up nicely for Miami this year, and Tagovailoa only makes it worse.
- Salary cap - not good
- Contracts - not good
- Personnel - not good
- Strength of schedule - not good
- Quarterback - not good
I think we get the picture, but Bleacher Report released its worst-case scenarios for each NFL team, and "Running it back with Tua Tagovailoa" would surely meet the criteria.
The Miami Dolphins must pull the plug on Tua Tagovailoa in 2026
You can’t really argue with that logic. It’s not out of the realm of possibility, either. If the Dolphins can’t find a legitimate replacement -- say, someone like Malik Willis -- or a trade partner for Tagovailoa, they might as well keep him and let him compete for the starting job.
At $54 million and change, the Dolphins would have to pay a ransom just to get someone to take him off their hands. We’ve predicted this scenario before, and it can’t be dismissed simply because media members insist he’s gone. Until he's gone, he isn't.
Jeff Hafley has confirmed that he's spoken to Tagovailoa. The details of the conversation weren't disclosed, but Tagovailoa has said he'd welcome a change of scenery. Now, would he be willing to take a pay cut to move to another city? That remains to be seen.
The Dolphins’ choices are limited: keep him, trade him, or cut him. And bringing him back isn’t what the fan base wants to see. 2023 now feels like the exception -- the apex of his career, not the norm. The last two years have trended in the wrong direction, and fans want off the rollercoaster.
Under Mike McDaniel, Tagovailoa experienced both the highs and the lows. He was benched in Cleveland and later sidelined again for the final three weeks. His play, among other factors, ultimately contributed to the end of McDaniel’s tenure in Miami.
The former head coach built an offense around the things that Tagovailoa did well, and he still failed to show consistency. It's unlikely that Hafley gives him the same time to prove he can still play.