Tua Tagovailoa’s latest NFL chapter has taken another strange turn, and this one may be the most frustrating yet.
The former Alabama star, who once led the NFL in passing yards with the Miami Dolphins, is now with the Atlanta Falcons and still searching for a clean break from the bad luck that has trailed him. After the Dolphins moved on from him in February, less than two years after he signed a four-year, $212 million extension, Tagovailoa landed in Atlanta with what looked like a real opportunity.
The setup made sense on paper. The Falcons had a clear need at quarterback because of Michael Penix Jr.’s struggles and the lack of depth behind him. Tagovailoa was stepping into a dome, into a warm-weather NFC South environment, and into a situation where he seemed positioned to thrive.
Instead, his arrival has been derailed before it could really begin. Just before Week 1 of the 2026 NFL regular season, Tagovailoa suffered an oblique injury, and that issue has kept him out for the first two games. At one point, there was even speculation about whether Atlanta might cut him despite the fact that he signed for the veteran’s minimum.
That doesn’t appear to be happening. NFL insiders Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter reported over the weekend that the Falcons have no intention of releasing him.
Even so, the path forward looks different now than it did when he first arrived. With Penix appearing ready to return from a torn ACL against the Green Bay Packers in Week 3, Tagovailoa seems headed for a role off the bench.
It’s a tough twist for a quarterback who seemed lined up to start for Atlanta this season. He had the backfield help, the passing options and the stadium situation that should have given him a strong chance to settle in and produce. Instead, he may not even get the chance.
The doubts around Tagovailoa have never fully disappeared, even during his best stretches. Some have never viewed him as a franchise quarterback, not even when he led the league in passing yards or when he posted passer ratings north of 100 in three straight seasons.
And there’s no hiding that last season fell short of his standards. Still, the larger story around Tagovailoa has always been the odd run of misfortune that keeps finding him.
Alabama fans know that part of the story well. In Tuscaloosa, he was electric. But even there, the injury bug bit hard, with Tagovailoa suffering a brutal hip injury during his final season with the Crimson Tide.
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Alabama Pass Rush Has A New Difference-Maker Entering SEC Play
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Now the challenge gets a little more demanding, with South Carolina next on the schedule and Alabama looking for Thompkins to keep setting the tone up front. For a defense that wants to disrupt timing and force offenses into uncomfortable spots, his role only gets bigger from here. The early returns have been strong, but the next stretch will show how much of a difference-maker he can be when the competition tightens. [Read more 🡒]