The Atlanta Falcons are betting on Tua Tagovailoa to steady their quarterback situation for the 2026 season, but the offseason has already turned messy in a hurry.
Tagovailoa, the former Miami Dolphins starter and first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, found himself at the center of another online storm after a Sept. 1 Instagram post appeared to include a comment that may have been meant for a burner account.
He posted the caption “For the A,” then followed up in the comments with “We’re so proud of you!! You got this.”
The comment was later deleted from his Instagram page.
That was enough for NFL fans to jump on the moment, and the reaction came fast. There’s no shortage of athletes who’ve been tied to burner accounts before, with Kevin Durant being one of the most famous examples, and Tagovailoa now joins the long list of players who’ve sparked those kinds of questions online.
It could have been a PR mistake. It could have been Tagovailoa forgetting to switch accounts.
Either way, the internet had its fun.
The timing only made it easier for critics to pile on. Tagovailoa has been an easy target because of his uneven play in recent seasons, and the scrutiny has followed him throughout this offseason. He was drafted in the same class as Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Jalen Hurts and Jordan Love, a detail fans have not exactly forgotten.
He’s also already dealing with skepticism from inside the Falcons orbit. Michael Penix Jr. recently showed his viral disbelief at Tagovailoa’s play during a preseason game, adding another layer to the conversation around Atlanta’s quarterback room.
For now, Tagovailoa is trying to carve out a new chapter away from Miami, and this could be his last real shot to prove he belongs as an NFL starting quarterback. But preseason has done little to reassure the Falcons or their fans, with Penix Jr. still waiting in the wings and new head coach Kevin Stefanski possibly wanting a chance to draft a rookie quarterback in 2027.
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Tua Just Added More Heat To Atlantas Unsettled QB Battle
Tua Tagovailoas arrival in Atlanta only sharpened a quarterback situation that was already unsettled, giving the Falcons another experienced option after his release from Miami and one-year deal with the team. What had looked like a simple preseason evaluation turned into something more complicated once his play came in unevenly, forcing Atlanta to keep four quarterbacks around and head toward Week 1 without a clear answer at the most important spot on the roster.
Michael Penix Jr. still appears to be the frontrunner to open the season as the starter, but the Falcons are also keeping a close eye on his health as they sort through the rest of the depth chart. For Tua, the path back into the center of the conversation is tied to how that situation develops, which leaves Atlanta with a familiar kind of late-summer tension: a quarterback room with talent, but no final resolution just yet. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Quarterback Decision Comes With A Game-Day Roster Cost
Several teams came out of cutdown day carrying more quarterbacks than usual, a sign of how much the position can still shape a roster even after the 53-man deadline. The Falcons are in that group, joining teams like the Vikings, Steelers, Eagles and Browns in keeping four or more passers around, a choice that can reflect both caution and optimism when a young arm is still being developed.
For Atlanta, the bigger issue is not just who is in the quarterback room, but what that decision costs elsewhere on game day. Carrying extra depth at the sports most important position can squeeze the rest of the roster, and it leaves the Falcons balancing immediate flexibility against the need to keep enough help available at other spots. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Week 1 QB Call May Come Down To One Concern
The Falcons still have a Week 1 quarterback decision hanging in the balance, with Kevin Stefanski continuing to weigh Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa as camp moves on. ESPN insider Adam Schefter reported that the staff wants to see how Penix holds up physically in full practice before making the call, which puts the focus squarely on his readiness as much as his performance.
Penixs health has become the central issue in the competition, and there is at least some belief that he could be the starter if he proves fully healthy. For Atlanta, it is a decision that goes beyond Septembers opener, because the next step depends on whether Penix can handle the demands of practice without any setbacks. [Read more 🡒]