Who is Skylar Thompson? Meet the Dolphins' backup quarterback

The Miami Dolphins’ quarterback situation is in flux.

Tua Tagovailoa exited Thursday night’s 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the third quarter after he suffered a concussion. It marked the third concussion for Tagovailoa in his NFL career after he suffered two in the 2022 season.

The injury puts the Dolphins and backup quarterback Skylar Thompson in a familiar position, as the team turned to Thompson in that 2022 season with Tagovailoa and then-backup Teddy Bridgewater sidelined.

Thompson played the remainder of Thursday night’s game, and while there is no timeline on Tagovailoa’s concussion recovery, the backup is in position to be thrust back into a starting role.

So, who is Thompson and where did he come from? Here’s what to know about the Dolphins QB:

Where did Skylar Thompson go to college?

After growing up in Missouri, Thompson played college football at Kansas State University from 2017 through 2021.

He ranks second in school history in passing yards (7,134) and third in passing touchdowns (42) while adding in 26 rushing touchdowns. In his senior season, he tossed 12 touchdowns to four interceptions and led the Wildcats to a Texas Bowl victory over LSU.

When did the Dolphins pick Skylar Thompson in the NFL draft?

The Dolphins selected Thompson with the 247th overall pick in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He was the eighth quarterback taken in the event and was the Dolphins’ final selection.

Skylar Thompson NFL stats

Thompson has appeared in eight NFL games and made two regular season starts in 2022 before starting the Dolphins’ wild card loss to the Bills in that year’s playoffs. For his career, Thompson has completed 68 of 119 pass attempts for 614 passing yards with one touchdown and three interceptions.

He went 8-for-14 with 80 passing yards in relief for Tagovailoa against the Bills in Week 2.

Dolphins’ quarterback depth chart

Thompson and Tagovailoa are the only quarterbacks on the Dolphins’ active 53-man roster, while Tim Boyle is on the practice squad.

On Friday, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said the team is moving forward with Thompson and that it will sign another quarterback for depth.

How much money does Skylar Thompson make a year?

Thompson signed a four-year, $3.7 million contract with the Dolphins in May 2022. He has a base salary of $985,000 and a cap hit of $1,005,554 in 2024, according to Spotrac. 

He is under contract for 2025 and is scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency in 2026.

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article was published in October 2022.