Tua Tagovailoa may be the highest-paid player on the Miami Dolphins roster, but there is a shift in leadership that can't be ignored, and Quinn Ewers is making that happen.
Ewers has a different attitude and approach to the game. There is no difference between the Ewers that are in the locker room and the one on the field. No switch to turn on and off, it's always the same energy and focus.
Following Sunday's victory over the Buccaneers to close out the Dolphins' home game schedule, Ewers received the kind of verbal support from his teammates that typically is reserved for leaders.
Quinn Ewers continues to make Tua Tagovailoa expendable by winning over Miami Dolphins teammates
As the Dolphins move into the offseason and the uncertainty surrounding Tagovailoa, Ewers is giving his teammates something to think about, and they are. In the locker room, several players said exactly what fans were hoping to hear.
"That dude can sling it for sure"Greg Dulcich
"He can stay in the pocket, take a hit and that's something you like. He also is great with throwing when he's got a defender in his face. "De'Von Achane
Theo Wease, Jr. also talked him up by calling him the "swaggiest on the field."
Ewers is earning his opportunities, but more importantly, he is taking advantage of them when they are given.
We have been hyping the young QB for a while, but we also know that one or two games do not make a quarterback. In the final week of the 2025 season, Ewers will face one of the toughest teams in the AFC. New England still has hopes of a number 1 seed.
If he can play well in Week 18, it may change the direction the Dolphins take in the offseason. This is not Ewers' team just yet. As long as Tagovailoa is on the roster, he will be the presumed starter heading into next year.
What Ewers is showing now is that he handles being the backup but also gives coaches a reason to let him compete for the starting job. As he gains his teammates' respect and trust, that background noise about his future will get louder.