Who Will Be Miami's Starting Quarterback in 2026?

He was the guy who was supposed to bring the glory days back to Hard Rock Stadium: The franchise cornerstone, the answer to decades of quarterback purgatory. Fast forward to the final day of the 2025 season, and the former Alabama Crimson Tide star was standing on the sideline watching rookie seventh-rounder Quinn Ewers take the snaps in the 38-10 drubbing against the New England Patriots.

The benching certainly wasn't undeserved either. Mike McDaniel pulled the plug after Tua threw his 15th interception in 14 games, couldn't crack 173 yards in a single game after Week 9, and looked utterly lost in a system specifically designed around his limitations. To make matters worse, the Patriots have stepped up and taken the place that was seemingly destined for Miami.

The Dolphins took the fight to the Buffalo Bills in the race for the AFC East crown, coming up short in both 2022 and 2023 but at least managing to reach the playoffs. This season, New England arrived from out of nowhere to win the division, and now online betting sites make them a genuine contender to win the Super Bowl this season. The latest Lucky Rebel football odds currently list them at +350 to claim a record-breaking seventh Lombardi, while over in Miami, the Dolphins are poised for an almighty rebuild.

Head coach Mike McDaniel is gone, and Tua looks set to join him, either discarded from the franchise or at the very least benched with no return in sight. So, who are the contenders to replace him under center? Let's take a look.

Quinn Ewers

Quinn Ewers got the call when McDaniel finally admitted defeat, starting the final four games of 2025 against playoff-caliber defenses. The raw numbers look decent—62% completion rate, 850 yards, six touchdowns, three picks. General manager Jon-Eric Sullivan's already gushing publicly, saying his rookie "did a great job" and could reshape their entire QB plan.

But is four starts when defenses knew Miami's season was cooked and could attack without fear enough to secure the starting berth at one of the NFL's most storied franchises? Yeah, Ewers looked composed, but he also showed the decision-making lapses you'd expect from a rookie thrust into chaos. Does that warrant handing him the keys to the kingdom? It's a brave choice, but it could well be foolish also.

Malik Willis

This is where it gets interesting. Malik Willis, GM Sullivan, and new head coach Jeff Hafley all share Green Bay DNA. That's not a coincidence—that's a hiring pipeline. The perennial back-up QB spent two seasons behind Jordan Love at Lambeau Field, completing 30 of 35 passes for 422 yards with three touchdowns and zero picks in limited 2025 action, plus 123 rush yards and two scores. Now he's hitting free agency.

At 27, he's got the athleticism and cannon arm that could unlock Miami's offense in an instant, with those deep downfield shots to Waddle surely a recipe for success. The problem? A slew of accuracy issues since his time in Tennessee, resulting in a miserable 58% career completion rate.

While Matt LaFleur's system helped Willis improve with the Packers, asking him to be a full-time starter is a massive leap from spot duty. Some have floated the idea that he could become a superstar with the right organization, but potential doesn't win games, and it certainly doesn't yield a playoff berth.

Mac Jones

Remember when Jones looked completely washed after flaming out in New England and Jacksonville? Kyle Shanahan's system revived him in San Francisco—65% completion rate, 13 touchdowns while filling in for Brock Purdy this season. The former Pro Bowler (2021, somehow) now finds himself as trade bait. Plenty of teams with unsettled quarterback situations could inquire. Cost? Probably a mid-round pick given his $2.8 million contract.

Jones offers pocket presence, quick release, and cerebral approach—everything Tua was supposed to be before the wheels fell off. He won't lose games, but he also won't make explosive plays downfield. That limited arm strength feels like organizational malpractice. But with Tyreek Hill surely on his way out, is that as much of a problem as it would have been in years gone by?

Jones is the safe choice when you're terrified of screwing up again. Does safe win you anything in an AFC with Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Joe Burrow? Or are you just delaying the inevitable while your championship window slams shut?

Kyler Murray

Now we're talking chaos. Kyler Murray at 29 represents Stephen Ross saying, "screw rebuilding, I want a Super Bowl before I hand over the reins." His dual-threat ability—averaging 500+ rush yards annually—paired with Jaylen Waddle creates nightmares for defensive coordinators. On paper, it's electric.

Reality's uglier. Murray threw 3,800 yards and 25 touchdowns in 2024 but led the league in interceptions. In 2025, injury woes and form issues saw Arizona pivot to Jacoby Brissett, and their former number one overall pick now seems destined for the trade block.

His $40+ million cap hit requires financial gymnastics Miami can't afford. Arizona faces a $54.7 million dead cap hit if they move him, meaning the Cardinals would eat salary just to dump him. And you're banking on a 5'10" quarterback with inconsistent decision-making suddenly becoming the solution in a new environment.

Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill might not pay Murray's $37 million in guarantees for him to play elsewhere. Translation: this deal's complicated, expensive, and might not exist. If Miami pulls it off and Murray thrives, Sullivan looks brilliant. If Murray regresses or gets hurt, the Dolphins are cap-strapped for years with nothing to show. That's a huge gamble for a franchise already in disarray.