MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers threw the first two touchdown passes of his career, and Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said afterward that the performance confirmed his belief that Ewers gives the team its best chance to win.

Ewers went 14 of 22 for 178 yards in Miami’s 20-17 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. The win was highlighted by a 63-yard touchdown pass from Ewers to rookie wide receiver Theo Wease Jr. in the first quarter.

The play was the Dolphins’ longest of the 2025 season and the longest completion by a Dolphins rookie quarterback since Ryan Tannehill’s 80-yard touchdown to Brian Hartline in 2012 against Arizona.

“I thought Quinn played a very good game with what we asked him to do,” McDaniel said. “He was very responsible but aggressive with the football.”

McDaniel confirmed that Ewers will start again next week when the Dolphins face the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. New England clinched the division Sunday after Buffalo lost to Philadelphia.

McDaniel said Ewers showed strong field vision and composure, pointing to the touchdown throw to Wease as an example of his ability to read coverage and react quickly.

“That’s kind of what he exhibits — very good field vision,” McDaniel said. “He sees the field. He’s aggressive, and he’s not scared. He goes out and competes.”

Ewers said the Buccaneers initially showed an all-out blitz before rotating into a two-deep coverage, allowing him to look off the cornerback and throw over the top.

“I knew the corner was going to have his eyes on me,” Ewers said. “So I just had to look at Darren (Waller) and throw right over the top of the corner, and Theo ended up making a great play.”

The touchdown was the first regular season score for both Ewers and Wease. Ewers said he kept the game ball, joking that Wease can have the next one.

Wease said the key to the play was Ewers’ calm presence and eye discipline.

“Quinn’s eyes,” Wease said. “He’s the reason the corner bit on the route inside of me. He gave me a good ball, and I just had to keep running.”

McDaniel also praised Miami’s rookie class for contributing across all three phases.

Wease scored his first NFL touchdown, defensive back Jason Marshall Jr. recorded multiple plays and a takeaway on defense, and defensive tackle Zeek Biggers blocked a field goal.

“We’ve been heavily reliant upon the rookie class,” McDaniel said. “It was very calculated, the types of people that we brought in.”

The Dolphins’ defense limited Tampa Bay to 53 rushing yards, one of its best run-stopping performances of the season. McDaniel said improved discipline and fundamentals were key after recent struggles.

Ewers added a key fourth quarter run for a first down to help seal the win.

“It was kind of like the game on the line in my head,” he said. “So get the first down and get down.”

Ewers said he plans to keep the game ball from Sunday’s win, which he and his team hope is the first of many.

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