It seemed clear that the Miami Dolphins wouldn’t start Tua Tagovailoa in Week 18. On Saturday, Miami confirmed those plans.
Ahead of their Week 18 game against the New York Jets, the Dolphins elevated backup quarterback Skylar Thompson. The team intends to start Tyler “Snoop” Huntley at quarterback, so this move ensures that Tagovailoa will not see the field against Gang Green.
The Dolphins announced the move in a post on X, as they also elevated offensive tackle Ryan Hayes.
Roster Moves | We have elevated T Ryan Hayes and QB Skylar Thompson to the active roster for #MIAvsNYJ. pic.twitter.com/fXZonNgM2a
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) January 4, 2025
Tagovailoa will finish the season with 2,867 yards, 19 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in 11 games played. Once again, the former Alabama quarterback dealt with a heap of injury issues this season.
But he assured everyone that he planned to play in the playoffs if the Dolphins can make it. They’ll need to win and they’ll need some help elsewhere. It could get dicey, but, there is still a chance.
So in other words, it will be very interesting to see how the team plays and responds to the situation. Huntley has played well in these sitautions before and probably will again against the lowly Jets.
Will it be enough to get them in? And give Tua another shot this season?
That’s what we’ll have to wait and find out. The Dolphins made the playoffs last year, but lost in the Wild Card Round to the eventual Super Bowl Champions, the Kansas City Chiefs.

About Chris Novak
Chris Novak has been talking and writing about sports ever since he can remember. Previously, Novak wrote for and managed sites in the SB Nation network for nearly a decade from 2013-2022
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