"You sure he's full blood?": Shannon Sharpe throws shade at Tua Tagovailoa's ethnicity as concussion-prone QB gets benched

Tua Tagovailoa had a series of concussion injuries throughout his NFL career. Despite high expectations for him this season, the quarterback struggled with consistency on the field, resulting in the Miami Dolphins being eliminated from playoff contention.

After Week 15's 28-15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, coach Mike McDaniel has decided to bench Tua Tagovailoa for their Week 16 game. He relegated him to third-string duties while naming rookie Quinn Ewers as the starter with Zach Wilson as his backup.

On Friday's episode of "Nightcap," retired three-time Super Bowl champion Shannon Sharpe questioned Tagovailoa's Samoan ethnicity amid his string of injuries and concussions. He further doubled down on his comments by highlighting his own experience playing against Samoans in the NFL.

"They (Samoans) don't get hurt either," Sharpe said. "So are we sure he (Tagovailoa) is full blooded? ... The Samoans I played with, they don't get ever hurt. They don't take no ankles, they don't take no risks, ... and they go out there, no matter how cold it is, they don't care nothing. They ain't got no sleeves on.

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"They be out there practicing with no sleeves, no nothing. Now I'm talking about the Samoans I've played with. Man, them big old strong Joes man."

This season, Tua Tagovailoa has tallied 2,660 yards and 20 TDs passing. He also has 15 interceptions and 30 sacks to his name, making him the 10th most sacked quarterback this season.

Against the Steelers on Monday, the quarterback completed 22 of 28 passes for 253 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.

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Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel gets real on Tua Tagovailoa's reaction to being benched

The Dolphins acquired Quinn Ewers with the 231st pick in this year's NFL draft. He had a successful collegiate stint with the Texas Longhorns, winning one Big 12 title with them.

On Wednesday, coach Mike McDaniel shared more details about the benching of Tua Tagovailoa. He revealed the veteran quarterback's reaction to the news while heaping praise on his leadership skills.

"It was, you know, a tough conversation," McDaniel said. "But also, he exhibits what makes him a captain and a leader on this team as he understood what it means for his contribution to the team and how he's gonna help, you know, Quinn prepare for his first start. "So, you know, I think he's displayed leadership skill by understanding. But as a competitor, you know, it's tough."

Quinn Ewers will make his debut as Dolphins QB1 on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals at 1 p.m. ET.

Edited by Priyam Hazarika