“Dolphins Face Quarterback Crisis as Tua Tagovailoa’s Injury Leaves Team Struggling”
The season hasn’t gone as Miami Dolphins fans had hoped. Just two weeks in, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered his third NFL concussion, forcing Miami to place him on injured reserve until at least October 27, when they face the Arizona Cardinals.
In Week 3 against the Seattle Seahawks, backup quarterback Skylar Thompson took over but sustained a rib injury early in the third quarter. With Thompson unavailable for Week 4, Miami turned to Tyler Huntley, a 2022 Pro Bowler with the Baltimore Ravens. However, it wasn’t Huntley who finished the game; instead, Tim Boyle, a seventh-year quarterback, stepped in after being activated from the practice squad following Tagovailoa’s injury.
Before their Week 5 game against the New England Patriots, the Dolphins decided to waive Boyle, leaving Huntley as the starter and Thompson as his backup.
Boyle, signed to the Dolphins’ practice squad on August 29, played in one game for Miami, completing 7-of-13 passes for 79 yards and adding six rushing yards. Despite having two Pro Bowl-level receivers in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, neither Boyle nor Thompson was able to get the team into the end zone. Though neither quarterback finished a full game, their performances were disappointing.
Huntley also struggled against a tough Titans defense that allows the fewest yards per game, but Miami finally scored during garbage time with a Huntley touchdown run. The Dolphins now sit at 1-3, with their only win in Week 1 when Tagovailoa played the entire game. With three weeks until Tua’s potential return, Miami faces a manageable stretch with road games against the Patriots and Colts and a bye week in between. For the Dolphins to salvage their season, Huntley will need to lead them to a win or two.