On Oct. 20, the Miami Dolphins announced that they have changed their starting quarterback to rookie Tua Tagovailoa. Football fans had assumed that he would take over for Ryan Fitzpatrick, the former starting quarterback, but it was unclear when the switch would happen. 

So far, the Dolphins have played six games in the 2020-2021 season, with a record of 3-3. They have played against the New York Jets, the San Francisco 49ers, the Jacksonville Jaguars, whom they beat, and the Seattle Seahawks, the New England Patriots and the Buffalo Bills, whom they lost to. 

Tagovailoa was the fifth overall pick of the NFL draft, coming from a successful career at the University of Alabama, where he ranked second in college quarterbacks from the 2019 season. After suffering from a dislocated hip and going through an extensive recovery, his draft stock — the predicted draft pick a player will be — slightly fell. 

Coach Brian Flores made the decision to put him in at the end of the game against the Jets after leaving him on the bench for the first five games. He completed two passes and exhibited his full rehabilitation and ability to play to his full extent.

Fitzpatrick, who ranked 29 out of the 32 starting quarterbacks in 2020, was a placeholder for the rookie until he was fully healed, and cheered him on in his first game on the field. 

Tagovailoa is scheduled to start as the Dolphins quarterback in their next game on Nov. 1 against the Los Angeles Rams at the Hard Rock Stadium.