Despite just being 27, Tua Tagovailoa has been benched for a younger quarterback, or rather, rookie Quinn Ewers. Reason? He was “not good enough” in Week 15. However, there appears to be more to the story. Whispers around the town say something related to the quarterback’s attitude, and legendary defensive end JJ Watt just confirmed how concerning it is. 

So, apparently, a few moments after the tough loss at the hands of the Steelers, Miami Dolphins‘ former starter was seen sharing a laugh with opposing cornerback Jalen Ramsey. For context, the two were teammates for two years in Miami. Although former teammates sharing a laugh is not concerning, the fact that Tagovailoa’s team lost their playoff berth a few minutes ago made the situation not so usual. That made many uncomfortable, including Watt, who is currently working as a game analyst on CBS. 

“I’m a believer, and there is at least a minimum responsibility on the optics and everything,” said Watt on the Pat McAfee Show. “With the fan base and understanding how everybody’s feeling after a certain game or after the way the season is going. I’m not sitting here saying don’t laugh, you can’t talk to a friend after a game or anything like that; but I do think there are some optics of when you’re cracking up, belly laughing on the field after you just lost a huge game in that way to be eliminated from the playoffs.”

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Watt clarified that this responsibility isn’t just on the quarterback’s shoulders but on any player in the locker room, coaching staff, or even owners. However, it’s definitely more on Tagovailoa since he’s the highest-paid player on the team. The Dolphins aren’t paying him over $53 million a year to forget about the game the moment the clock runs out. 

What’s even more troubling about this post-game incident is Ramsey’s blunt words in the fourth quarter. Late in the game, the Dolphins had the chance of a comeback victory until tight end Greg Dulcich dropped a two-point conversion. The next moment, Ramsey looked straight into the camera and mouthed, “He weak as f***.” Although it’s up for discussion whether Ramsey meant it for Dulcich or Tagovailoa, he disrespected the Dolphins. Yet, Tagovailoa didn’t mind. 

Besides Watt, Emmanuel Acho also didn’t mince his words over the post-game laughter with Ramsey. He even demanded that the Dolphins bench the quarterback for the remaining games, citing his poor first-half play and lack of seriousness. His wish was ultimately granted. This decision by head coach McDaniel appears to be applauded across the league. 

Stephen A. Smith applauds the Dolphins’ decision to bench Tua Tagovailoa 

It wasn’t just Week 15’s performance that was concerning. Throughout this season, Tagovailoa has been average and even recorded a career-high interception count (15), leading the league. Stephen A. Smith of ESPN believes the reason behind Tagovailoa’s performance is the tactic to avoid another concussion. The Pro Bowler has been avoiding contact, which is affecting his entire performance — be it running, handling the ball, or throwing. That’s why Smith was particularly happy when the Dolphins benched the quarterback. 

“He’s small, he’s afraid of getting hit, and you can’t blame him,” remarked Smith. “Look at what he’s been through. Look at the concussions… The problem is that he’s too fragile to be an NFL quarterback. He’s proven that, and it’s prevented Miami from being successful. They’re making the right decision.”

The Dolphins demoted him to QB3 on the depth chart by making Ewers the starter and Zach Wilson the backup. While head coach McDaniel argued that Tagovailoa’s performance was affected due to the complexities of being a starter and franchise quarterback, he has accepted the reality. It remains to be seen whether the franchise will part ways (which seems unlikely) or he’ll find another home via trade. Currently, Tagovailoa is focused on helping Miami in any way possible.