MIAMI GARDENS — As new Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik gets the keys to the team’s offense, one of his key tasks will be to get the most out of whomever he has playing quarterback.
It’s ultimately new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan’s decision whether Tua Tagovailoa will remain on the roster or if he’ll look to part ways with the previous regime’s franchise passer who was benched late last season.
Slowik, senior passing game coordinator last season, was with Tagovailoa through his struggles of the 2025 season, and he has now been promoted to coordinate the offense in 2026 under new coach Jeff Hafley.
Slowik steered clear of making any grand determinations on what the team should do with Tagovailoa’s massive contract Sullivan inherits, but he commented on what he does know about the quarterback from working with him.
“I know last year, that was a difficult year,” Slowik said. “It was a difficult year for him, without a doubt, for a lot of different reasons. And I think what jumped out to me was the grace he handled that with, the way he went about his daily routine through that season, even at the end of the year, the kind of person he was to everybody and to his teammates. You can’t say enough about that, how good of a person he was and how he handled that situation, as well as you can ask for.”
Slowik believes Tagovailoa can be a comeback player in the league.
“There’s stories like that all the time,” Slowik said. “You’re talking about people that are at the peak of their profession. They’re the best in the world at what they do, not just physically, but like mentally, they’re some of the strongest human beings there are.
“I think Tua can absolutely bounce back.”
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Sullivan, at his introductory press conference with Hafley, opted not to speak directly about any coming decision on Tagovailoa until he has spoken with the player.
Slowik also dished on fellow quarterback Quinn Ewers, who started the final three games of the past season and is under contract with Miami for 2026.
“The fun thing about Quinn, when we were with him last year, is just how much he was able to grow,” Slowik said. “I think everybody just saw that in the last few games he played at the end of the year. He grew every game. You can see him get better and take steps every game. He’s got to continue to do that in the offseason program and I’m excited to get him back. He’s fun to work with, and (we’ll) see what happens and see where it goes.”
Hackett to Cardinals
Not only did the Arizona Cardinals deny the Dolphins two compensatory third-round picks with their head coach hire of Mike LaFleur over previous Miami defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver. Now, the Cardinals took an assistant coach who was set to be part of Hafley’s first staff at the helm.
The Cardinals are hiring Nathaniel Hackett to be their offensive coordinator, according to NFL Network.
Hackett, a former head coach with the Denver Broncos in 2022 and longtime NFL offensive coordinator with the Jets, Packers, Jaguars and Bills, had previously agreed to terms with the Dolphins to be quarterbacks coach.
About an hour before the news broke, Slowik was asked what he hopes Hackett can provide him on the offensive side of the staff. He declined to comment as Hackett was up for the coordinator opening in the desert.
The Dolphins will now be in the market again for a quarterbacks coach, as Darrell Bevell, who held the role the past four seasons under ex-coach Mike McDaniel and was on the staff with Slowik last season, is available. He was a candidate for the Jets’ offensive coordinator opening, which went to Frank Reich earlier Wednesday.
WR signed
The Dolphins signed wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. Wednesday morning.
Marshall is a former second-round pick of the Carolina Panthers out of LSU in 2021. In four NFL seasons — three with the Panthers and 2024 with the Las Vegas Raiders — he had 67 receptions for 808 yards and a touchdown.
The big-bodied, 6-feet-2 target spent much of the 2025 season on the Philadelphia Eagles’ practice squad and was released Jan. 20.
