The Miami Dolphins lost an ugly game Thursday night against the Buffalo Bills, but that wasn’t the worst part of the night for the AFC contenders, as starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa also left the matchup with a third-quarter concussion. Tagovailoa displayed the “fencing” posture associated with severe head injuries after lowering his head on a red-zone run, and while he ultimately walked off the field under his own power, his premature exit came two years after at least two other concussions forced him to contemplate retirement.
In other words, Tagovailoa’s short- and long-term status is up in the air. Not even two months removed from signing a four-year, $212 million contract extension with the Dolphins, the 26-year-old Pro Bowler could be sidelined indefinitely as he recovers and weighs next steps. And his health, frankly, takes precedence over whatever happens with the remainder of Miami’s season, playoff aspirations aside.
On the field, however, the Dolphins will continue to play. Which means they’re suddenly in desperate need of emergency quarterback help. A year after the rival New York Jets saw their title hopes wasted once Aaron Rodgers went down and the team had no legitimate Plan B, it stands to reason that, inside Miami’s headquarters, the backup spot would’ve been better outfitted. Yet only third-year reserve Skylar Thompson is currently on the active roster behind Tagovailoa, and the former seventh-round draft pick has been supremely erratic when called upon. Former New York Jets backup Tim Boyle, meanwhile, is also on the practice squad, but he’s gone 0-5 as an NFL starter.
So where could Miami turn? How about to an old friend whose reunion has made sense for months?
That’s right: Ryan Tannehill.
While the 36-year-old free agent looked to be a shell of his 2019-20 self during his last action, he offers far more experience than any other unsigned alternative, with 151 career starts. In the 11 seasons in which he played at least one game, the former Tennessee Titans standout also led four playoff appearances. More than that, he’s never played in a supporting cast as talented as that of the current Dolphins, with elite speed at both running back and wide receiver. Tannehill revealed this offseason that he’s still open to playing, but only if the “right opportunity” arises, and there might not be a better one than this.
But would he be a stylistic fit with the present-day Dolphins?
In Tennessee, remember, Tannehill experienced career production when he essentially mimicked Jimmy Garoppolo’s former role with the San Francisco 49ers: Control the ball, lean on the run and hit the play-action shots when they’re there. That’s not a stretch from what he could enjoy in Miami, where Tagovailoa has thrived in a timing-based attack that heavily features McDaniel’s stable of speed backs and chess-piece wideouts. It’s no coincidence, of course, that McDaniel stems from the Kyle Shanahan tree, which puts more emphasis on the ground game and defense.
As for any lingering hard feelings between Miami and Tannehill, well, that’s unlikely. Tannehill was working toward being “the guy” during his original stint with the Dolphins. Now he’s deep into his 30s, resigned to his place as a relief pitcher. Where better to accept that fate than back where it all began, in a city he knows well, under a general manager in Chris Grier who actually defended his tenure following the two sides’ unofficially mutual split five years ago? Maybe, just maybe, there’s a fairytale ending in there.
