MIAMI GARDENS, FL — The Miami Dolphins’ decision to bench Pro Bowl quarterback Tua Tagovailoa this week sent shockwaves through the NFL, signaling a potential end to an era. Yet, amidst the swirling rumors of a permanent divorce, a powerful voice from the Dolphins’ recent past is pushing back against the narrative of an exit.
Terron Armstead, the former Pro Bowl left tackle who spent three seasons protecting Tagovailoa’s blindside, remains steadfast in his belief that the quarterback isn’t going anywhere. Speaking on SiriusXM NFL Radio and his personal podcast, the retired captain offered a definitive prediction for the 2026 season.
“I think he’s the quarterback next year for the Miami Dolphins,” Armstead stated. “This isn’t an audition for the starting job; Tua is still your starting QB. Week 1 kickoff next year, Tua Tagovailoa is the starting QB.”
“Everything is on the Table”
Armstead’s confidence stands in stark contrast to the current atmosphere at Hard Rock Stadium. The benching followed a series of inconsistent performances that led head coach Mike McDaniel to declare that the team’s quarterback play simply was “not good enough.”
With the team officially eliminated from playoff contention after a lackluster performance against the Steelers, McDaniel opted to start rookie seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers for the remainder of the 2025 season. Tagovailoa, who led the league in interceptions with 15 before his demotion, has been relegated to the emergency third-string role behind Zach Wilson.
Tagovailoa himself admitted to being “disappointed” by the move, confessing that he does not know if he has played his final snap in a Dolphins uniform.
The $99 Million Deadlock
While critics point to Tagovailoa’s recent struggles—including a league-high interception count and a plummeting QBR—Armstead’s prediction is backed by a cold, hard financial reality.
In the summer of 2024, the Dolphins signed Tagovailoa to a four-year, $212.4 million extension. As of today, that contract has become a massive hurdle for the front office. If Miami were to cut the quarterback this offseason, they would be hit with a record-setting $99.2 million dead cap charge. Even a trade would leave the team responsible for roughly $45 million in dead money.
These “albatross” figures suggest that unless the Dolphins are willing to completely paralyze their spending power for 2026, they may be forced to follow Armstead’s script and bring Tagovailoa back into the fold next summer.
A Fractured Future?
Before the benching, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport indicated that owner Stephen Ross was inclined to keep the Mike McDaniel-Tua Tagovailoa pairing intact for 2026. However, McDaniel’s recent refusal to comment on the quarterback’s long-term future suggests that the relationship has reached a breaking point.
For now, the Dolphins are looking to the future with Quinn Ewers, hoping to find a low-cost solution at the position. But as the 2025 season draws to a close, the franchise finds itself trapped between a coach who wants to “focus on the now” and a contract that makes the future nearly impossible to change. Whether Armstead is right or not, the decision on Tua Tagovailoa will be the most expensive gamble in Miami Dolphins history.