Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) warms up before a game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. David Banks-Imagn Images

Why McDaniel Wants Starters in Preseason Finale

Originally posted on Miami Dolphins on SI
By Alain Poupart | Last updated Aug 21, 2025 10:02 AM ET

Tua Tagovailoa and the other Miami Dolphins starters will be back in action for their preseason finale against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday night.

The Dolphins sat out most of their starters — pretty much everybody except for their top two draft picks along with other selected players — in their preseason victory against the Detroit Lions last Saturday, but he ad coach Mike McDaniel said before the joint practice against the Jaguars on Thursday that he wanted some game action this time.

"The starters know that they will be ... my plan is for them to appear," McDaniel said. "What that looks like, the length of that, will kind of be determined by today's practice. And then I'll meet with the coaching staff right after, and then tell the players a little more definitively what that looks like.

"But they have recently been told that they will appear, that has been my plan trying to focus on. It's our first home game, it's the first time this team's been through that routine and much of the game, much of each and home game, it's the first time this team's been through that routine. And much of the game, much of each and every regular season game, the success or failure is determined by the process of going from practice to a game. Those reps are invaluable. So that's where my priority goes. There's been a lot of technique growth. Preseasons like practice to me, I'm not looking for results as much as I wanna see the growth in their game transfer from a technique and fundamental standpoint. And I wanna see guys play together and get the last juice jitterbugs out before we get real in a couple weeks."

Things get real, of course, on September 7 when the Dolphins will face the Indianapolis Colts in their regular season opener at Lucas Oil Stadium.

TUA'S PREVIOUS PRESEASON FINALES

The game will mark the second preseason appearance for Tua, who completed 5 of 6 passes in his one series in the preseason opener against the Chicago Bears.

While Tua didn't play in the preseason finale last year, he did make an appearance in the final preseason game in each of McDaniel's first two seasons as head coach, in 2022 and 2023. Head coach Brian Flores had kept Tua out of the preseason finale against the Cincinnati Bengals in 2021 and there was no preseason in 2020 because of COVID-19.