The Atlanta Falcons named Tua Tagovailoa their Week 1 starting quarterback only days ago. One former NFL head coach believes the veteran may already be mentally closer to retirement than a comeback.
Go Long co-host Todd Haley, the former Kansas City Chiefs head coach and Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator, questioned whether Tagovailoa is fully committed to continuing his NFL career during the latest episode of the Go Long podcast.
Haley compared what he sees from Tagovailoa to Russell Wilson late in his career, arguing that self-preservation can begin to take over once a quarterback starts thinking about life after football.
Todd Haley Makes Stunning Tua Tagovailoa Retirement Claim
Haley compared what he sees from Tagovailoa to Russell Wilson late in his career, arguing that self-preservation can begin to take over once a quarterback starts thinking about life after football.
“I felt self preservation coming into play with him,” Haley said of Wilson. “His arm wasn’t the issue. It was he was now, ‘Hey, I want to move onto TV or whatever I’m doing. I want to play a few more years.’
“But if you’re not 100 percent in, you’re not in. You’re retired. You just haven’t announced it.”
Haley then applied that theory directly to Tagovailoa.
“I think we’re seeing it with Tua last year and what we’re seeing with this progression into the regular season for the Falcons,” Haley said. “I feel like this is my opinion. I don’t know that I’m right. But I feel like Tua has retired and hasn’t told anybody yet. He wants to be out there but he really doesn’t.”
It’s a striking opinion considering Atlanta announced Tagovailoa as its Week 1 starter on Sept. 7.
Tagovailoa sounded anything but ready to walk away when he spoke two days later.
Tagovailoa called winning the job “very refreshing” and “a blessing.” He also said he wanted to prove to himself that he could still play at an elite level.
That opportunity will now have to wait.
Tua Tagovailoa Injury Adds Another Twist to Falcons QB Situation
Tagovailoa was ruled out of Sunday’s opener against Pittsburgh after suffering an oblique injury during Thursday’s practice. Cooper Rush will start, while Penix will also be inactive as he continues working back from last season’s ACL tear.
The injury shouldn’t be treated as evidence for Haley’s theory. It does, however, add another layer to a quarterback situation that already carried significant uncertainty before Atlanta played a snap.
Tagovailoa’s final season in Miami ended poorly. He threw for 2,660 yards, 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in 14 games before the Dolphins benched him late in the year and released him during the offseason.
Atlanta signed him to a one-year deal, giving the former No. 5 overall pick a chance to restart his career while Penix recovered.
Even after naming Tagovailoa QB1, head coach Kevin Stefanski declined to commit to anything beyond Week 1.
NBC Sports’ Mike Florio said there was a “strong possibility” Atlanta could follow Miami’s lead and cut Tagovailoa if he struggled badly enough to get benched again.
Haley took that conversation in an even more dramatic direction.
Falcons’ Tua Tagovailoa Hit With Stunning ‘Retired’ Claim From Former NFL HC