When Tua Tagovailoa signed with the Atlanta Falcons from the Miami Dolphins, it seemed he’d have a chance to win the starting job.
The most likely summer competition would feature a pair of left-handed QBs, Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr.
And when Penix wasn’t ready for Week 1, all of a sudden, the starting role belonged to Tua.
That is, until it didn’t anymore.
Tagovailoa hurt his oblique on Thursday before Week 1 Sunday, and he couldn’t play. He had to miss Week 2, as well.
He was able to return for Week 3 from his injury, but the starting job was no longer his. Penix was back, too.
And now, it’s not clear what might be next for Tagovailoa.
What’s Next for Tua Tagovailoa?
It’s going to be hard for Tagovailoa to start with the Falcons after what Penix did on Thursday night.
Penix led the Falcons to a convincing three-touchdown win over the Green Bay Packers on Thursday Night Football despite being on the road at Lambeau Field.
His second pass of the night was a bad interception, but from that point on, Penix was sharp.
He completed 18-of-25 passes for 256 yards and a touchdown, which he threw to veteran tight end Austin Hooper.
Unlike the Falcons’ QBs of the first two weeks, Penix figured out how to get well-paid wide receiver Drake London heavily involved, and it was a boon to the offense.
So too was the fact that Bijan Robinson had more room to run while the defense put a bit more respect into the pass.
There’s certainly no benching Penix for Tagovailoa if he keeps playing like this.
Of course, Penix has dealt with three separate torn ACLs since beginning his college football career, and so at the moment, Tua is just one play away from being called upon.
Still, that’s probably not the role Tagovailoa hoped he was signing up for.
Other Tua Tagovailoa Options
The other potential path forward for Tagovailoa would be either a trade or a release.
There are other teams that could use a veteran QB. The Giants, for example, are without Jaxson Dart for the rest of the year. The Commanders are wondering how long they’ll have to be without Jayden Daniels.
Other QBs, like Sam Darnold and Joe Burrow, have also dealt with various injury worries in the early season but both seem good to go again.
It’s hard to see Tagovailoa being just handed a starting gig at this point, even in free agency after the season. His only chance is to luck into playing time, whether with the Falcons or another team, and look more impressive than he did at the tail end of his Dolphins tenure.
Tagovailoa may be trending toward backup status going forward. It usually takes a lot to dig out of that hole.
Tua Tagovailoa Might Be In Trouble