Former Miami Dolphins offensive lineman Terron Armstead isn’t ready to give up on his ex-teammate Tua Tagovailoa even after a rough preseason opener for the Atlanta Falcons on Aug. 14 against the Denver Broncos.
In the 27-7 loss, Tagovailoa went 3-for-5 on his pass attempts for 22 passing yards. As a result, many are doubting that the former Dolphins QB can have a fresh start with the Falcons.
Nonetheless, Armstead isn’t one of them. During an Aug. 21 appearance on “The Rich Eisen Show,” he stated why he still believes in Tagovailoa ahead of the 2026 NFL season.
“I do [believe it will work out for Tagovailoa in Atlanta],” Armstead said. “I strongly feel like he can; I would love to see it [and] I would rather just let the ball go, find his eligibles, and use the weapons he has down there. He has a lot of weapons. He is not necessarily looking to prove it to people.
“I think he wants to prove it to himself and really just confirm to himself that he can do it at the highest level. The way it ended in Miami was not up to his standard. He does not feel okay with it, and he desperately wants to get that bad taste out of his mouth. So you see some of the pressing dropping a a snap that’s like super routine for a quarterback.”
Last season with the Dolphins, Tagovailoa had 440 dropbacks, leading to a 62.1 overall PFF grade. Moreover, he threw for 2,660 yards and 20 touchdowns against 15 interceptions while also recording 18 big-time throws and 25 turnover-worthy plays.
Ex-Dolphins Star Explains Rough Tua Tagovailoa Showing
Moreover, Armstead addressed the challenging game Tagovailoa had against the Falcons in the preseason opener, which has led many to question whether the former first-round pick can bounce back in Atlanta.
“It’s you pressing like you want to do everything right,” Armstead added. “You want to silence the noise, and you start to all of it, it starts to amount to just too much. If he can just take that deep breath this week in the preseason game and let it fly, play ball because he can, and he has done it at a high level… They got a lot of weapons. A lot of weapons. I would love to see Tua utilize those weapons.”
Falcons Starting Job Is Tua Tagovailoa’s to Lose
Recently, Ben DiNucci of CBS Sports sees the ex-Dolphins star controlling his destiny to be the Week 1 starter for Atlanta as the team heads into their final preseason game against the Dolphins on Aug. 28.
“This one, to me, feels like this is Tua’s job to lose,” DiNucci said in an Aug. 14 video from CBS Sports. “Michael Penix Jr. has not been cleared yet to do team drills, to do full 11-on-11 activity. So for Tua, this is a chance for you in preseason Week 1. It’s going to feel the same as the regular season.
“You’re going to lead the team out of the huddle, you’re going to break the huddle with the first-team offense, you’re going to get to feel all the game-day jitters that you felt the last couple years, except you’re doing it in preseason fashion. So for Tua, go out, put a good product on the field tonight, take as many completions as you possibly can and limit turnovers.”
Tua Tagovailoa Gets Strong Words From Ex-Dolphins Teammate