All Dolphins

Tannehill Talk of NFL Comeback

The former Miami Dolphins first-round pick reportedly has had discussions about joining an NFL team

Alain Poupart

Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) under center against the Miami Dolphins during the second half at Nissan Stadium during the 2021 season.
Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) under center against the Miami Dolphins during the second half at Nissan Stadium during the 2021 season. / Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
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Ryan Tannehill's name came out of the blue this weekend after his 2024 season away from the NFL.

The former Miami Dolphins first-round pick and seven-year starting quarterback was big in the news, the subject of a report from FOX Sports' Jordan Schultz suggesting the Minnesota Vikings had spoken to him about the idea of joining the team for the 2025 season.

The Vikings were rumored to be interested in Aaron Rodgers, or vice versa or both, for a bit before reports indicated they didn't want to pursue the future Hall of Famer but most recently disappointing New York Jets quarterback.

The reports of the Tannehill-Vikings idea indicate that no deal is imminent, but if it were to come to fruition, the idea is that he would serve as the backup for 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy after he missed his entire rookie season with a knee injury.

Sam Darnold was the starting quarterback last season, but he signed with the Seattle Seahawks in free agency.

Tannehill, meanwhile, went unsigned as a free agent all of last year after his contract with the Tennessee Titans ran out, closing the chapter on his five-year stay with the AFC South team.

TANNEHILL'S SUCCESS STORY AS A BACKUP

Being a backup wouldn't be a first for Tannehill, who was the No. 2 quarterback in Tennessee behind Marcus Mariota after the Dolphins traded him during the 2019 season. Tannehill eventually took over when Mariota was benched and he proceeded to help the Titans reach the AFC Championship Game in 2019 when he earned the first and only Pro Bowl invitation of his career.

Tennessee won the AFC South in 2020 and 2021 with Tannehill at quarterback, but he underperformed in the playoffs and the Titans were one-and-done both times.

Tannehill never played in a playoff game for Miami after arriving as the eighth overall selection in the 2012 NFL draft.

The Dolphins did make the playoffs in 2016 with Tannehill as their starter, but he missed the final three games of the regular season and the playoff loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers as the result of a knee injury against the Arizona Cardinals when he was hit — cleanly — by current Dolphins free agent Calais Campbell.

Tannehill's best passer rating for the Dolphins was a 93.5 achieved in that 2016 season, but he went over that mark three times with the Titans.

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Alain Poupart
ALAIN POUPART

Alain Poupart is the publisher/editor of Miami Dolphins On SI and host of the All Dolphins Podcast. Alain has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989 for various publications and media outlets, including Dolphin Digest, The Associated Press and the Dolphins team website. In addition to being a credentialed member of the Miami Dolphins press corps, Alain has covered three Super Bowls (for NFL.com, Football News and the Montreal Gazette), the annual NFL draft, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine. During his almost 40 years in journalism, which began at the now-defunct Miami News, Alain has covered practically every sport at one time or another, from tennis to golf, baseball, basketball and everything in between. The career also included time as a copy editor, including work on several books, such as "Still Perfect," an inside look at the Miami Dolphins' 1972 perfect season. A native of Montreal, Canada, whose first language is French, Alain grew up a huge hockey fan but soon developed a love for all sports, including NFL football. He has lived in South Florida since the 1980s.

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