The Miami Dolphins have an odd situation going on right now with Ryan Tannehill and head coach Joe Philbin regarding the starting job and while some have called Philbin's decision making into question, Tannehill's play has come under fire and it may make some wonder whether the Dolphins made a mistake passing on Johnny Manziel or other quarterback names in the draft this year.
According to Pro Football Talk, the two have been going back and forth in the media about this week, with Philbin telling reporters to ask his players about who is starting, because that's how head coaches are supposed to act. Tannehill said that he is taking the first snap of the game and apparently that means he is starting, but better ask Joe Philbin about that.
This post was from earlier in the year, but with all going on with Tannehill and Philbin, it seemed like a good time to get it up. The Miami Dolphins have been trying to replace Dan Marino for over a decade now and with Ryan Tannehill under center for his third season, many have wondered whether or not the team will regret passing on Johnny Manziel for their own Texas A&M quarterback, as the team had an opportunity to take the former Aggies star and if he succeeds in Cleveland and Tannehill struggles, a trade could be in the future for the Fins thrower.
Tannehill has shown some solid talent over the past three seasons, but he has not made the jump into elite status and he has a mediocre record from his time in the league, going just 15-17 as a starter. The third season is usually the most important for a quarterback's development and that is one reason why the 2014 is so crucial for the Dolphins, but it's not the only one. The team was close to the playoffs last season before faltering down the stretch and now the come in with a head coach on the hot seat and a roster that has been turned over quite a bit.
The Dolphins had the chance to draft Manziel and while no one thought the team was going to do it, could they have made a huge mistake? The answer of course is....maybe. No one can know whether Manziel will be great or not right now, but the general managers who had to weigh that option should be shaking in their boots now, because he could end up being a once in a lifetime talent. The Cleveland Browns may not be the best place for him to shine, but he has the chance to be a star and if Tannehill has another so-so season and is eventually supplanted, Miami fans know who to blame: Jeff Ireland for taking Tannehill and planning on keeping him and Dennis Hickey for passing on Manziel.
There is still plenty of career to go for Tannehill and he may very well end up being the quarterback that Miami hoped, but if Johnny Football takes over the league, the franchise has to wonder why it wasn't in a Dolphins uniform.
