The last few months of the Tua Tagovailoa era in Miami were anything but smooth. After a disappointing year that saw the team finish under .500, and Tua lead the league in interceptions, the new regime replacing former coach Mike McDaniel had nothing to do but release Tua. Shortly afterwards, he signed a one year vet minimum contract with the Falcons, given a chance to rejuvenate his career.
Now, the former Dolphins QB is getting candid about his final months with the team and how he views his future in Atlanta. With the chance to potentially get the starting role over the oft-injured Michael Penix Jr., Tua sounded optimistic about his prospects.
“You’re either a competitor or you’re not, you just don’t go from being a competitor to ‘let me just relax a little bit,’” Tagovailoa said. “I embrace the competition. I’m excited to work alongside Mike, and I’m excited to work with the team, with the guys. I think it’s going to be fun this year.”
Tua’s Reset: From Miami Fallout to Atlanta Opportunity
After all, many have seem what Tua could be if he remained fully healthy. In his only year with a full bill of health, he led the Dolphins to the playoffs, while also being the NFL’s passing leader, completion percentage leader, and passer rating leader.
While Tua’s optimism is something that could help him remain competitive, he also has to acknowledge that his last year in Miami was the reason for his somewhat awkward demise. The fact that the Dolphins had to take one the biggest cap hit in NFL history in order to release him and were willing to do so is very telling about where Tua was last season.
“If you’re looking at last year, my play wasn’t up to the standard of the way I’ve been playing football over the past three years since the new contract,” he said of this new opportunity. “I’ve just gotta play better football. That’s what that really means. There’s no other way to sugarcoat that, or go around that.”
Can Tua Win the Job and Revive His Career?
It’s one thing to acknowledge and accept his failures. It’s quite another to expect to bounce back as easily as he makes it sound. In order for Tua to succeed, earning the starting role is a non-negotiable. Penix has never flashed the potential Tua has over his time starting with the Falcons. As a result, Tua must take advantage of the wide open QB competition.
The bottom line is that Tua is still someone who believes in himself and because of that, got a chance to prove himself one last time. If he can show he can overcome the hardship of his final months in Miami, there may still be a chance he can turn his career around and become someone NFL teams can rely upon.
For now, that time is further away than Tua would like, but closer than ever should he gain the starting role in Atlanta. If he ends up doing so, the sky is the limit for what Tua could be capable of for the rest of his career.
Tua Tagovailoa Preaches Hope, Success in Latest Comments