Tua Tagovailoa is set to don the No. 1 jersey for the Atlanta Falcons in the 2026 NFL season, but the real question is whether he can claim the top spot on the depth chart. The Falcons brought in Tagovailoa earlier this month to compete with Michael Penix Jr. for the starting quarterback role.
Tagovailoa's path to wearing No. 1 became clear after the Falcons released wide receiver Darnell Mooney on March 9. Mooney, who had sported the number for the past two seasons, quickly landed with the New York Giants following his release.
Throughout his career, Tagovailoa has been associated with the No. 1 jersey, a number he chose after being drafted by the Miami Dolphins in 2020. With Miami, he couldn’t wear his college number, 13, as it was retired in honor of the legendary Dan Marino. Marino, a Hall of Famer, left an indelible mark on the franchise with his record-setting career.
Tagovailoa’s choice of No. 1 is deeply personal, representing "the audience of one" philosophy, a Christian belief about performing for divine approval rather than public acclaim.
As he joins the Falcons, Tagovailoa becomes the tenth player to wear No. 1 for Atlanta, following in the footsteps of notable names like Jeff George and Marcus Mariota.
His journey to Atlanta comes after a challenging period with the Dolphins. Following a downturn in performance and a shift in team strategy, Miami released him on March 12 despite having two years left on a hefty $212.4 million contract. This move obligated the Dolphins to pay $54 million for the 2026 season, regardless of his release.
Tagovailoa had been Miami’s starting quarterback from midway through his rookie season until late in the 2025 campaign. His release came after being benched in favor of Michael Penix Jr., who started several games before a knee injury sidelined him. Veteran Kirk Cousins then stepped in to finish the season for Atlanta, but he was released on March 11, paving the way for this new quarterback competition.
Now, with a fresh start in Atlanta, Tagovailoa aims to prove he can lead the Falcons’ offense and reclaim his status as a starting quarterback in the NFL.