After the Miami Dolphins rested the majority of their starters in the second preseason game, the team will likely use their final preseason game as the dress rehearsal before the regular season.
Not only will it serve as the most important preseason game for the Dolphins, but it will also feature the return of a familiar player.
Former Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is set to return to Hard Rock Stadium; however, he will do so as a member of the Atlanta Falcons.
Tua Tagovailoa Faces Off Against the Miami Dolphins
Unfortunately for Tagovailoa, his preseason game against the Dolphins will have an added importance as the Falcons have yet to announce who will be their Week 1 starter.
While Tagovailoa was originally expected to win the starting job as Michael Penix recovered from ACL surgery, his performance during training camp and the preseason has left a lot to be desired. Additionally, Monday’s Atlanta practice was a negative step for Tagovailoa as it featured the return of Penix to full team drills, and reporters seemed to suggest that the former Miami quarterback was outplayed. Additionally, Penix got more reps than Tagovailoa did with the starting unit, which does not bode well for Tagovailoa’s chances of starting Week 1.
Underdog NFL posted on X: “Falcons first practice with split reps between QBs
Michael Penix Jr: 14 snaps 4-of-8 passing
Tua Tagovailoa: 11 snaps 0-for-3 passing
(via @ByDanielFlick)”
Meanwhile, Atlanta Falcons beat reporter Daniel Flick posted on X: “Michael Penix Jr. has been sharper than Tua Tagovailoa so far, but neither have been particularly great in my assessment. Penix has taken more snaps.”
Regarding the news that Penix Jr. took more snaps, NFL analyst Gregg Rosenthal posted on X: “Penix getting more snaps on his first day in team drills shows he has a real chance to start Week 1”
Miami Dolphins vs Atlanta Falcons
As a result, Tua Tagovailoa’s performance against the Miami Dolphins may very well determine whether he will continue his career as a starting quarterback in the NFL.
The Dolphins already moved on from him, as they benched him during the final three games of the 2025 season. The team then decided to release him after they failed to find a trade partner. Miami released the quarterback even though he still had $54 million guaranteed in the 2026 season.
The Miami Herald’s Omar Kelly does not appear to believe that the former Dolphins quarterback will be able to rebound in 2026, as he said on The Dolphins Collective after Tagovailoa’s first preseason action, “I looked at every snap he took in the Atlanta game, his arm’s done.”
Regarding Atlanta’s quarterback plans against the Dolphins, Falcons on SI’s Darius Hayes wrote: “Tua Tagovailoa will likely get the start at quarterback as the Falcons determine whether Michael Penix Jr. will be ready to play. Penix was recently cleared to return to full 11-on-11 work, putting him back into the competition with Tagovailoa for the starting job.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski was non-committal at his press conference on Monday morning on whether or not Penix would see action against the Dolphins, but his return to full practice gives Atlanta another important evaluation opportunity this week.”
Tua Tagovailoa Gets Bad News Before Dolphins Game