During the 2012 NFL Draft, Tannehill was picked 8th by the Miami Dolphins. He was the first quarterback picked by the Dolphins in the first round of any NFL Draft since Dan Marino. On July 28, 2012, Tannehill signed his rookie contract, a 4-year deal worth $12.688 million. Tannehill started his first pro career game. He played poorly, throwing 0 touchdowns and 3 interceptions against the Houston Texans. Even though he had a poor first game, Tannehill showed signs of growth throughout his rookie season. Despite playing better as the season progressed, his play was still thought to be overall mediocre, as it was overshadowed by the play of other rookie quarterbacks, such as Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, and Russell Wilson.