Tua Tagovailoa didn’t remain unemployed for long. Mere hours after his departure from the Miami Dolphins was announced, reports confirmed that the star quarterback already had a new destination: the Atlanta Falcons.
Tagovailoa entered the NFL as the 5th overall pick in the 2020 Draft. Initially serving as Ryan Fitzpatrick’s backup, he earned the starting role by Week 8 of his rookie season.
Fans and analysts hoped Tagovailoa would end Miami’s nearly four-decade Super Bowl drought. However, injuries and inconsistent rosters limited his impact. His biggest achievement with the Dolphins was leading the team to two playoff appearances-both ending in wild-card round exits.
Now, the six-year veteran has a chance to reset his career in Atlanta.
Tagovailoa’s move to Atlanta
ESPN insider Adam Schefter reported on X (formerly Twitter):
ESPN Sources: Former Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa plans to sign a one-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons.
Still, Tagovailoa is not guaranteed the starting job. “The move will now give the Falcons two left-handed quarterbacks, Tagovailoa and Michael Penix, heading into the 2026 season,” Schefter noted.
Neither Tagovailoa nor the Falcons have confirmed the agreement. Any contract will only become official once the Dolphins formally release him on Wednesday.
The Dolphins’ costly aftermath
Tagovailoa was entering the third season of a four-year extension signed in 2024, leaving Miami with one of the largest dead cap hits in NFL history:
Contract Value: $212.4 million
Guaranteed Money: $167.1 million
Average Annual Value (AAV): $53.1 million
Signing Bonus: $42 million
Dead Cap: $99.2 million
The terms of his deal with Atlanta remain unknown, though insiders suggest it could be a minimum one-year contract.
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