Tua Tagovailoa found himself in a tough situation.
Entering the field in overtime on Sunday night, the Atlanta Falcons had less than three minutes to match the Baltimore Ravens with a touchdown. The ex-Dolphins QB had played exactly one snap for Atlanta this season before this OT appearance in Week 5.
Michael Penix Jr. was seated on the bench with a rib injury, unable to play.
So on trotted Tua to try to save the day.
He had entered for one play in the fourth quarter when Penix temporarily went out, and Tagovailoa had completed a pass on that play to star RB Bijan Robinson.
Then on his first play in overtime, he threw a dime down the field to Drake London to get the drive started in prime fashion.
His next throw wasn’t as good. It went directly to Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton. In the each-team-gets-a-possession overtime format, that ended the game.
The Falcons lost, and Tagovailoa walked off the field defeated in his Falcons debut.
Still, there was intrigue to come out of the game. Would Penix have to miss time, and how much? Would Tagovailoa get to start in Week 6 against the Chicago Bears?
Well, maybe not.
Michael Penix Jr. Injury Update Impacts Tua Tagovailoa
Penix has been getting some good news on his injury, and that’s bad news for Tua.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport wrote this on X on Wednesday:
“Michael Penix Jr is set to practice today, despite a rib injury. A good sign for his availability this weekend.”
Rapoport then added this information in a follow-up post:
“Coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters that Michael Penix Jr is feeling better and will likely start, assuming no setbacks.”
Sounds like Penix is good to go for Week 6, which relegates Tagovailoa back to the QB2 role, one play away.
His injury had been announced as a rib issue, which made sense given on the way the crash into the ground took place with a defender on top of him. Rib injuries have forced QBs to miss games before, but apparently this wasn’t the worst-case scenario for Penix.
Tua Tagovailoa Tough Timing
Tagovailoa was supposed to start for the Falcons in Week 1. Penix wasn’t healthy yet in his recovery from knee surgery. But then Tua hurt his oblique in practice and missed out.
By the time Tagovailoa was ready to return, so was Penix, and so that opportunity went by the wayside.
And now here, Tagovailoa had another chance, a brief one in overtime that got away from him. With good personal luck, maybe he would’ve ended up with a Week 6 start to redeem himself.
Instead, the former Dolphins QB will only be able to watch — unless Penix gets hurt again.
Tua Tagovailoa’s Starting Chance Might Be Gone Again