Tua Tagovailoa’s move to Atlanta was supposed to bring some calm to the quarterback room. Instead, the offseason has turned into a rough stretch, and the latest headache came from social media.
On Sept. 1, Tagovailoa posted on Instagram with the caption “For the A.”
Not long after, he appeared to follow up in the comments with “We’re so proud of you!! You got this.”
That’s the part that set off the jokes. The comment was later deleted from the NFL quarterback’s Instagram page, and fans quickly piled on after what looked like a possible slip with a burner account or a post made by someone handling his social media.
“You got this Tua” - Tua pic.twitter.com/MsNhCsCkRU
- Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) September 1, 2026
There’s no shortage of athletes who’ve been tied to burner accounts over the years, with Kevin Durant being the most famous example. Tagovailoa now finds himself in that same kind of internet mess, whether it was a simple PR mistake or just a forgotten account switch.
The reaction landed because fans already have plenty to criticize. Tagovailoa has taken heat for his play in recent seasons, and his name has been easy bait online all offseason. He was drafted in the same 2020 class as Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Jalen Hurts and Jordan Love, which only adds to the scrutiny.
The chatter hasn’t been limited to one viral comment, either. Another Falcons quarterback, Michael Penix Jr., recently showed his viral disbelief in Tagovailoa’s play during a preseason game.
Atlanta is still hoping Tagovailoa can steady things at quarterback for the 2026 season, but training camp and preseason have not exactly inspired confidence. He’s now in a new chapter away from Miami, and this may be his final real chance to prove he can still handle a starting job in the NFL.
That’s where the concern grows for Atlanta. Penix Jr. is still waiting in the wings, and new head coach Kevin Stefanski may ultimately want his own rookie quarterback in the 2027 NFL Draft. For now, though, Tagovailoa’s offseason has become one more item on a growing list of reasons the Falcons are under pressure.
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