Tua Tagovailoa is already giving NFL fans plenty to talk about in Atlanta, and not for the reasons the Falcons hoped for.
The veteran quarterback, whom Atlanta is counting on to steady the position in 2026, has had a rough offseason stretch. Training camp and preseason haven’t exactly quieted the doubts, and a viral Instagram post only added more fuel to the fire.
Tagovailoa posted on Instagram on Sept. 1 with the caption “For the A.”
Then came the comment that set social media off: “We’re so proud of you!! You got this.”
The problem, at least from the way it looked online, was that the comment appeared to come from the wrong place. NFL fans quickly ran with the possibility that Tagovailoa may have forgotten to switch accounts before posting. The comment has since been deleted from his Instagram page.
There’s no shortage of athletes who have been linked to burner accounts over the years, and Tagovailoa would hardly be the first name in that conversation. Kevin Durant has long been one of the most famous examples, and other players across sports have dealt with similar speculation.
It’s also possible this was nothing more than a simple mistake by a PR team, or just Tagovailoa himself slipping up and posting from the wrong account.
Either way, the internet had a field day.
“You got this Tua” - Tua pic.twitter.com/MsNhCsCkRU
- Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) September 1, 2026
The reaction landed because Tagovailoa has already become an easy target for critics. His on-field play in recent seasons has left him open to that kind of mockery, especially for a quarterback drafted in the same 2020 class as Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Jalen Hurts and Jordan Love.
He’s been dealing with that kind of online heat all offseason. Michael Penix Jr., another Falcons quarterback, recently made his own viral showing of disbelief at Tagovailoa’s play during a preseason game.
Still, Atlanta is moving forward with Tagovailoa as it enters a new chapter at quarterback. For the former Alabama star, this may be his last real chance to make a strong impression as an NFL starter.
But preseason hasn’t offered much comfort to the Falcons or their fans. Penix Jr. remains in the wings, and new head coach Kevin Stefanski may simply prefer to get his own shot at a rookie quarterback in the 2027 NFL Draft.
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The message from Hubbard was simple: Alabama wants to set the tone early and make life uncomfortable for the opponent from the first snap. For a defense that figures to lean on Hubbard as one of its key voices and playmakers, that means being aggressive, fast and active around the football in a game that should offer an early read on how quickly the Tide can establish their identity. [Read more 🡒]