Miami Dolphins fans win the award for the dumbest reason to hate on a rookie. After finding out that Quinn Ewers was switching to No. 14 in the NFL, Dolphins fans wasted no time shredding him to pieces on social media. They couldn’t have a dumber reason to hate Ewers right now.
Ewers decided he would take No. 14 because, for one, No. 3 was already occupied and, as a seventh-round pick, he doesn’t quite have the respect to demand that number. And two, because he was the 14th quarterback taken in his draft class — also the last one taken.
For that reason, I understand why he would wear that number: a reminder and motivation of what he has to do to prove everyone wrong. For fans to pick on Ewers over a jersey number is just petty. Maybe taking retired quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick’s number wasn’t the best move, but Fitzpatrick is no Dan Marino, no need to hold that over his head.
Dolphins fans berating Quinn Ewers over his jersey number proves they’ve lost it
You would've never noticed the logic in the argument above, however, based on the reactions of many Dolphins fans.
There’s a good chance Ewers actually plays this year. The last thing Dolphins fans should be doing is berating him over a jersey number when he could have a valuable role. I think it’s good for him to get with a coach like Mike McDaniel and an offense like Miami’s.
Tua Tagovailoa has had one full healthy season since he was drafted in 2020. Every other year he’s been mainly hampered by concussions. That means, it’s likely Ewers gets the call if Tagovailoa goes down this season. That also means the fans should be supporting him and uplifting him, not bringing him down.
Ewers fell through the draft cracks last month after losing a whole of stock after the beginning of the 2024 season. In hi final season at Texas, he entered as one of the favorites to be taken in the first round. Yet after leading the Longhorns to the College Football Playoff semifinals for the second-straight season, that wasn’t enough to convince front offices to take a chance on him.
Because of that, he’ll probably play with a chip on his shoulder. And when he inevitably gets tossed into the fire to replace an injured Tagovailoa, the fans gave him one more reason to surpass his expectations.
Not even parts of the Miami fan base believe in Ewers and he hasn’t taken a snap yet. Now he has no choice but to prove them wrong.