Dolphins' Zach Wilson seems puzzled by Quinn Ewers decision after Tua Tagovailoa benching

On Wednesday, Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel benched veteran quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to start rookie Quinn Ewers when the 6-8 Dolphins host the 4-10 Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16. 

McDaniel's decision resulted in Ewers leapfrogging Zach Wilson on the Miami depth chart. On Wednesday, Wilson revealed that he was left "a little confused" by the move following a chat with McDaniel.

Zach Wilson wants to play for Dolphins

"A little bit [of an explanation]," Wilson said regarding what he learned about McDaniel's call, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. "There’s still confusion there. But you know what? That’s how it goes sometimes." 

Wilson mostly flopped as a member of the New York Jets after they made him the second overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, and he then spent the 2024 season as a backup with the Denver Broncos. He had been Tagovailoa's primary backup through the majority of the ongoing campaign but will now be Miami's QB2 against Cincinnati. 

"Of course, I would love to play," Wilson acknowledged on Wednesday. "...I can’t control that. My job is to go out and do the best I can. Keep preparing, …getting better, supporting Quinn. Excited for him to get his first start."

Zach Wilson reflects on first season with Dolphins

Even before the Dolphins were eliminated from the playoffs via a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 15, whispers about the long-term futures of Tagovailoa and McDaniel hovered over the club. Tagovailoa may never again take a snap for Miami, but it's unclear if McDaniel will be retained. 

"It’s definitely been eventful, right?...Guys have been great, and I appreciate the organization bringing me here," Wilson said about signing a one-year deal with the Dolphins this past offseason. "It’s definitely been tough. I don’t think the season has gone as we all had hoped. Wish we could have pulled out some more wins and things had gone a little smoother. And of course, I would like to be playing, but it happens. So we’ll go from there."

With Tagovailoa relegated to QB3 duties, Wilson could be a play away from taking the field at Hard Rock Stadium in Week 16. Wilson indicated that he has been told he could play if Ewers fails to impress versus the Bengals. 

"It’s always a competition," Wilson added. "You would hope all these organizations would want to play the best player and try to win."