Atlanta hasn’t even kicked off the regular season, and already the Tua Tagovailoa conversation is getting loud.
On an NBC sideline hit, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio floated a scenario that would have sounded outrageous a few months ago: if Tagovailoa struggles, gets benched again, and the situation goes sideways, the Falcons could do what the Dolphins did and cut him. A Falcons fan account shared the clip, and the reaction followed fast.
That’s where things stand for a quarterback who arrived in Atlanta in March on a one-year veteran-minimum deal and was named the Week 1 starter by coach Kevin Stefanski. The Falcons open Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers at 1 p.m. ET, with Michael Penix Jr. still sidelined as he works back from last year’s torn ACL.
The strange part is how familiar this all feels. Miami released Tagovailoa after a 15-interception 2025 and a late-season benching, and the same building that saw his Dolphins run end is now the place where he’s trying to restart his career. The Dolphins had benched him last December after a rough loss in Pittsburgh, so the return to this matchup carries its own awkward edge.
The noise around him never really went away during camp, either. A practice lowlight had fans cringing.
His preseason debut brought an immediate fumble and a meme that spread quickly. Then a Bahamas karaoke video days before the opener kicked up another wave of concern.
Miami took on a record dead-money charge to move on from him, but Atlanta doesn’t have that kind of financial mess tied to the deal. Cooper Rush is already on the roster as the backup, and Penix remains the long-term option once he’s ready. Stefanski hasn’t locked in a season-long starter, which means Tagovailoa is operating on a week-to-week basis.
Tagovailoa has tried to keep the focus on Sunday. He told reporters he can only control his preparation and his play, and said he has nothing to prove to outsiders. The Athletic reported that he described the chance as one to change perceptions and said he is taking things day by day.
Still, Florio’s report is the kind of thing that can take over a market in a hurry. If the Steelers get after him early, the bench talk will start instantly. If Penix later gets the green light, Atlanta has an easy pivot waiting.
For now, though, the Falcons’ Week 1 story is already about what might happen next. Tagovailoa has to play the game first.
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Branch is expected to show up in specialized packages and handle return duties right away, giving the Falcons a way to get him touches without asking him to carry a full-time receiver load. His opportunities should only expand as he settles in and earns more trust, which makes his place on the depth chart feel more like a starting point than a ceiling. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Safety Depth Suddenly Hinges On A Player Fans Barely Know
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Hellams made the 53-man roster for the 2025 season, and his role has grown as Atlanta has asked him to handle more responsibility. He has shown better discipline, and with a starter sidelined by injury, he even picked up first-team reps. For a player fans may still mostly know from the margins, the question now is whether this recent stretch is the beginning of something more substantial. [Read more 🡒]