The Atlanta Falcons have just one game remaining on their preseason schedule before the 2026 campaign begins in just over two weeks. It’s a matchup against the Miami Dolphins (at Hard Rock Stadium).
Atlanta is on the very short list of NFL team’s who have not declared a starting quarterback for the upcoming campaign.
It’s already been announced that Tua Tagovailoa will start the preseason finale versus the Dolphins, while Cooper Rush and Jack Strand will follow Tua’s outing.
There are a lot of rumors floating around about Tua’s status with the team/organization, and he received a very bold take from a Falcons radio personality recently.
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Falcons Analyst Believes Tua Tagovailoa Could Be Off the Roster with Bad Game on Friday
If Tua Tagovailoa can not show signs of production as the Falcons’ signal caller on Friday evening against the Dolphins, 92.9 The Game radio personality Mark Zinno believes his spot on the roster is not safe.
Zinno wrote (via X.com) on 8/27:
“I’ll go one even further … Tua is playing Friday night for a SPOT ON THE ROSTER! I think it’s totally conceivable that he could be cut. Ask yourself, what’s the real difference, in 2026, between Tua, Cooper Rush & Jack Strand? Hard for me to find one.”
Zinno then adds that the Falcons have played a role in the way this Tua situation has been handled:
“I will stand on that the whole way this QB/preseason thing has been handled has been beyond awful. The messaging was awful and the execution was sloppy. But moving past all that, we are here in a spot with Penix likely being your starter in Pittsburgh.”
It’s unclear how long Tua Tagovailoa will be taking snaps on Friday night, but perhaps the Falcons will give him an extra series or two to fully address his capabilities as a QB right now.
Jack Strand has looked very good in the preseason, and even Cooper Rush is a capable backup QB, so if Tua really is ‘unplayable’, there’s no reason for him to be on the roster; plus, it’s not like the Falcons are paying him much anyway.
Roster cuts are right around the corner, and the preseason finale is the last chance for several fringe roster players to make their mark on the front office and coaching staff.
Falcons Get Bold Tua Tagovailoa Take Before Dolphins Preseason Finale