Dolphins start Tyler Huntley at QB for Week 4 against Titans, coach Mike McDaniel announces

About two weeks after signing Tyler Huntley, the Miami Dolphins will start him at quarterback for their Week 4 game Monday night against the Tennessee Titans. Miami head coach Mike McDaniel announced the decision Saturday.

Miami signed the former Pro Bowler to the Baltimore Ravens’ practice squad after Tua Tagovailoa suffered a concussion in their Week 2 game against the Buffalo Bills and was ultimately placed on injured reserve. wounded.

Huntley was the Dolphins’ emergency QB for their Week 3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks with Skyler Thompson starting and Tim Boyle backing him up. Thompson was knocked out of the game in the third quarter after taking three hard hits to the torso and was ultimately diagnosed with a chest injury.

Boyle threw for 79 yards on 7-of-13 passing after taking over. Before leaving the game, Thompson threw for 107 yards while completing 13 of 19 passes.

Huntley, a South Florida native, has started nine games in his four NFL seasons, four each in the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Overall, he has completed 65% of his passes for 1,957 yards , eight touchdowns and seven interceptions, while rushing for 509 yards and three scores.

His performance in 2022 – completing 67% of his passes for 658 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions – earned him Pro Bowl honors. That experience obviously helped him turn the Dolphins’ offense around quickly and influenced McDaniel’s decision.

“One thing that has been extremely evident for the team since he got here, and even more so this week of practice, is that he has started many, many important games,” McDaniel told reporters via the Miami Herald. “You just have to understand as a quarterback exactly what it takes to convince your teammates, take someone else’s place and assert your own personality, your own skills and your own traits within the offense and lead people.”

Thompson could possibly be the team’s emergency quarterback against the Titans, McDaniel said. But Boyle will support Huntley on Monday.

Miami will be without starting left tackle Terron Armstead and cornerback Kendall Fuller for Week 4, with both players in the concussion protocol. Additionally, the availability of running back Raheem Mostert due to a chest injury is uncertain, while linebacker David Long Jr. is expected to be a game-time decision due to a hamstring injury.