The potential reunion between Ryan Tannehill and his former team, the Miami Dolphins, saw a significant update on Wednesday morning, September 18.
The Dolphins are actively searching for quarterbacks to help propel their team after a 1-1 start, including a 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills. The injury to starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who suffered the third registered concussion of his career during that game, is the main reason for their current quarterback search.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport explained that while the idea of a Tannehill return to Miami might be intriguing, it doesn’t seem likely—at least for now.
“My understanding is that if he is going to play, it’s going to be for a team that he would be able to play for the entire season,” Rapoport said on “Good Morning Football”. “This does not seem to be the case with Tua, now on Injured Reserve.”
Rapoport, however, didn’t rule out Tannehill’s return to the NFL entirely, stating that the fit with the Dolphins isn’t quite right at the moment.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up returning if he’s healthy enough,” Rapoport added. “But this just doesn’t seem like a good fit.”
Tannehill’s career with the Dolphins spanned from 2012-18 after the team selected him eighth overall in the 2012 NFL draft.
He was initially viewed as the franchise quarterback for a team rebuilding after years of inconsistency at the position.
Tannehill’s most successful season with Miami came in 2016, leading the team to a 10-6 record and a playoff appearance—their first since 2008. However, a late-season knee injury kept him sidelined for the playoffs, and the Dolphins were eliminated in the first round.
After battling injuries, including a torn ACL that forced him to miss the entire 2017 season, Miami traded Tannehill to the Tennessee Titans in 2018.
There, his career saw a resurgence, leading the Titans to multiple playoff appearances, including an AFC Championship game against the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2019 season, which they lost 35-24.