Heading into a Week 4 matchup against the Titans on “Monday Night Football,” Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel is not ruling out making a quarterback change.
After losing starting QB Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) to IR, Skylar Thompson got the start Sunday against the Seahawks, a game the Dolphins lost 24-3. In the third quarter, Thompson exited the game with a rib injury.
While McDaniel said Thompson is currently “day-to-day,” he would not rule out starting Tim Boyle or Tyler Huntley even if Thompson is cleared to play. This is not surprising given Thompson’s subpar play, including a well-below-average 58.7 completion percentage.
“As Skylar progresses, I think that leaves variables more vague,” McDaniel told reporters Tuesday. “I think we have an important 48 hours to kind of see where he’s at, and then also to get in front of the rest of the quarterback room, and talk with them, talk with coaches, talk with some of the players, to get them as most comfortable with the varied uncertainty.”
No stranger to the Dolphins organization, Thompson has appeared in nine games for the franchise, including a wild-card playoff start against the division-rival Buffalo Bills two seasons ago. With Miami, he has completed 81 of his 138 pass attempts for 721 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions.
The Dolphins mark the fifth different team Boyle has played for during his NFL career that began in 2019. Stepping in for the injured Thompson in Sunday’s losing effort, Boyle went 7-of-13 for 79 yards. In his career to date, Boyle has completed 121 of 196 pass attempts for 1,013 yards with four TDs and 12 interceptions.
Huntley, meanwhile, spent his first four seasons as a Baltimore Raven before heading south to join the Dolphins. While Huntley has only appeared in 20 games, he has a larger sample size, completing 221 of 342 pass attempts for 1,957 yards with eight TDs and seven interceptions. Huntley also brings more of a dual-threat dynamic, having rushed 115 times for 509 yards and three TDs during his career.
While a decision has not officially been made on Thompson’s status, Boyle and Huntley are both new to the organization, so whether Thompson is cleared or not or McDaniel chooses to go with a different QB, a decision should be expected as soon as possible to allow players time to prepare for the “MNF” game against Tennessee (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).