Against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, Tyler Huntley got his first start for the Miami Dolphins since way back in the early part of the season when Tua Tagovailoa was out due to a concussion. Huntley didn't look like the same quarterback this weekend, and Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill thought so as well.
Miami needed to win on Sunday to stay alive in the AFC playoff race, and it looked as if they were just going to hand the game to the Browns. Instead, according to Hill, the Dolphins backup quarterback took control of his offense.
At the half, the Dolphins held a simple 6-3 lead, with the Browns getting the ball to start the second half. Miami's defense was playing well against a bad Cleveland offense, but they needed more from the offense.
After the game, Hill told reporters that in the locker room, Huntley spoke with the offensive players at the half and told them it was time to step up and do more. It worked, as Miami came out in the second half and scored a touchdown in the third quarter and then another late in the fourth.
The victory keeps Miami's hopes of a playoff spot alive but more importantly, the Dolphins have a quarterback they may need to lean on for another week who is earning the respect of his teammates.
Huntley is going to head into Week 18 penciled in as the starter against the New York Jets. Miami head coach Mike McDaniel said it was too soon to know if Tagovailoa will play next weekend, so the early reps will go to Huntley in practice.
If the Dolphins have to rely on Huntley again this week, he clearly has become more vocal than he was when he was thrust into playing with only days being on the team. Now that he has had more time, he is finding his voice.
Miami Dolphins need Tyler Huntley to emerge as the leader if he is going to be the backup QB in 2025
Huntley will be a free agent after the season, but he could earn a new deal from Miami by leading them to a win over the Jets and a spot in the postseason next Sunday.
He may not be the perfect fit for a job that might be heavily leaned on in the future, but he still has a lot of unrealized potential for growth.