Over the past three years (2022-24), Tua Tagovailoa was living in PFF’s top 10 for QB Impact (QBi). Fast forward to 2025, and three weeks in, he’s slipped all the way down to 16th. Why? Well, that’s the million-dollar question—only Tua, or maybe the analyst breaking down the film, really knows.

What we do know is this: Dolphins are 0-3, and as they get set to host the Jets in week 4, the sixth-year quarterback has to find a way to flip the switch. The head coach, Mike McDaniel, happens to know about a lot of things that Tua needs to get better at.

Coach McDaniel met with reporters ahead of the Week 4 game and was asked what his QB can do better based on what he knows Tua is capable of. “There’s a ton of things based on my experience with him,” McDaniel said, while also adding that “The game of franchise quarterback is never just still,” while highlighting that Tua needs to play better.

Over three games, the quarterback has completed 62 of 89 passes (69.7% completion rate) for 575 yards, 5 passing TDs, and 4 interceptions. And one of the major reasons behind his struggles is that his clean-pocket efficiency has fallen, something that accounts for a large share of a quarterback’s season-long efficiency.

As per Pro Football Network’s breakdown of advanced QB metrics, Tua’s clean-pocket efficiency and overall QB-impact rank have dropped sharply in 2025 compared with 2022-24. Have a look at the pattern behind the steady decline over the years:

• 2022: 83.8 QBi, 4th overall
• 2023: 80.7 QBi, 7th overall
• 2024: 83.2 QBi, 8th overall
• 2025: 75.2 QBi, 16th overall

Sure, the 2024 season saw a surge in his performance. But 3 weeks into the 2025 season, the numbers are hard to ignore. On top of that, the 27-year-old happened to face criticism from the NFL analysts for his performance. Many believe that even after having good offensive weapons, the quarterback is struggling to connect with his targets as effectively as he should.

Even before the 31-21 loss against the Bills, longtime NFL analyst Greg Cosell observed that “Tua is a very narrow kind of player. He doesn’t really have the arm strength to make certain throws … he hit Hill on a long ball that should have been a 74-yard touchdown, and the ball just died.”

While if we dive deep into these struggles, there are many to point out, as McDaniel noted that his QB has a lot of things to get better at. But considering he’s struggling to connect with his targets and a fall in his clean-pocket efficiency, it’s safe to say that Tua Tagovailoa really needs to get better. After all, Coach McDaniel’s head coaching seat has already started heating up.

But the owner still trusts coach Mike McDaniel

It might sound a bit cliché, but Mike McDaniel was one of the HCs on the hot seat heading into the 2025 season. Three weeks of this season haven’t changed the scenario even a little bit. After a tough loss to the Colts in their season opener, the Dolphins returned to Hard Rock Stadium, only to face the wrath and screams of the fans. “FIRE GRIER. FIRE McDaniel.”

Which naturally makes you wonder: Is Stephen Ross ready to pull the plug and fire his head coach? Certainly not. At least, not for now. The Week 3 loss against the Bills was already coming. But even before that, the NFL analyst, Ari Meirov, reported that the team owners trust McDaniel and won’t fire him just yet.

“The owner actually has had a lot of support for Mike McDaniel and Chris Greer. Like I said, McDaniel signed the contract extension last August,” he explained. That said, a couple of things are clear as the Dolphins set to face the Jets. First, Tua Tagovailoa needs to play better. Second, he’ll continue playing under Coach McDaniel. Period!