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Jeff Hafley shared his thoughts on Tua Tagovailoa
After a 7-10 season, the Miami Dolphins are ushering in a new era in 2026. The major changes have already begun as the team hired a new head coach and general manager. The team is expected to move on from superstar wide receiver Tyreek Hill to free up cap space. Now, the biggest decision remaining for the Dolphins is the future of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Tagovailoa had been the Dolphins’ starting quarterback since 2021, and even received a contract extension prior to the 2024 season after a Pro Bowl appearance in 2023. However, since the extension, his performance has gone downhill. Injuries kept him out of six games in 2024, and poor performance resulted in him being benched in 2025. After the season, it seems the team’s ownership is ready to move on from him as the starter. However, his contract has a $56 million cap hit in 2026, which puts the Dolphins in a tough position.
New head coach Jeff Hafley was asked about Tagovailoa and he had some strong words for the Dolphins’ quarterback.
Miami Dolphins’ Head Coach Shares Clear Feelings on Tua Tagovailoa
Dolphins’ head coach Jeff Hafley joined the Jim Rome show, where he was asked about Tua Tagovailoa. Hafley shared the conversations he’s had with Tagovailoa, saying, “I had a good conversation with Tua… we talked about a lot of things, but ultimately this is going to come down to who we believe gives us the best chance to win.”
It is the first time the Dolphins have not stated that Tagovailoa is their starter entering a season since 2021. Injuries aside, the Dolphins have not had a quarterback competition since Ryan Fitzpatrick and Tua Tagovailoa battled for the job in the 2020 season. The team has signed veteran quarterbacks to back up Tagovailoa since then, but his place as the team’s starter had not been questioned.
The Miami Dolphins have yet to reveal the quarterback plans for the upcoming season, but Hafley did reveal that the team does have plans in place for the position. Fans and media members alike have speculated that Hafley was referring to free agent quarterback Malik Willis, who spent two seasons with Hafley in Green Bay. Another option for the Dolphins is seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers, who started three games for the Dolphins in 2025.
Hafley’s Comments on the Offensive Coordinator
Additionally, Hafley spoke with Jim Rome about promoting 2025 Dolphins’ pass-game coordinator Bobby Slowik to offensive coordinator. Regarding his relationship with Slowik, he said, “When I was a defensive back coach with (49ers head coach) Kyle Shanahan, he was a defensive quality control coach, so we spent a lot of time talking football together.”
In terms of Slowik’s experience as an offensive coordinator and his scheme, Hafley said, “And then what he did, he went over to the offensive side of the ball. You know, Kyle likes to kind of poach the smart guys and bring him over to teach offense too. So he spent all that time with Kyle, learning his scheme. And then he went to Houston, called it, had some success, went to two playoff games, coached the quarterback (C.J. Stroud) to be the Rookie of the Year.
I got to coach against him. During that time, we stayed in touch, and I’ve always had a really good relationship with him, and always respected him as a coach. I love the scheme, I love the pedigree, I love the person, and I just love the way he approaches things. So I interviewed a bunch of people and just felt most comfortable with him.”
Jose Esquer Jose Esquer is a Mexican-American sportswriter and communications student based in San Diego, CA. His work spans football, basketball, baseball, and soccer. He has written for platforms like RotoWire and DolphinsTalk. You can find him on Twitter/X @JEsquer8, usually talking Dolphins, world football, or both. More about Jose Esquer
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