Dolphins' Quinn Ewers can end 21-year drought for Texas Longhorns quarterbacks

Former Texas Longhorns quarterback and current Miami Dolphins signal-caller Quinn Ewers has an opportunity to end a 21-year drought in Week 16.

On Wednesday, it was reported that the Dolphins are benching Tua Tagovailoa and are promoting Ewers to the starting job over fellow backup Zach Wilson, even though Wilson has been serving as the QB2 all season.

The move to promote Ewers over Wilson makes sense, as the Dolphins need to see what they have in the rookie and the book is already written on Wilson.

Ewers, who was drafted in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL draft by Miami, will be making his second NFL appearance but his first career start in Week 16. Ewers came into a game earlier this season and completed 5-of-8 passes for 53 yards.

When Ewers takes the field on Sunday, he'll have an opportunity to become the first former Texas quarterback to win his first NFL start since Chris Simms did it 2004 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to ESPN Insights.

A third-round pick of the Bucs in 2003, Simms made his first career start in 2004 in a game that saw the Bucs emerge victorious, 20-17.

Simms, who was replacing Brad Johnson, threw just eight passes in that game, completing five for 68 yards. He didn't finish the game, though, as veteran quarterback Brian Griese replaced him in the second quarter.

Since Simms' win in his first start in 2004, when Ewers was just one year old, other Texas quarterbacks who have failed to accomplish that feat include Vince Young (Tennessee Titans, 2005), Colt McCoy (Cleveland Browns, 2010) and Sam Ehlinger (Indianapolis Colts, 2022).

This is obviously a golden opportunity for Ewers, who now has a chance to show the Dolphins he could be "the guy" for the future.

The deck is certainly stacked against Ewers as a seventh-round pick, but at least he has a chance.

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