MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 21: Tua Tagovailoa #1 of the Miami Dolphins waves to fans after his team's 45-21 loss against the Cincinnati Bengals at Hard Rock Stadium on December 21, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty …
ATLANTA - The Atlanta Falcons are shaking up their quarterback roster with the addition of former Miami Dolphins starter Tua Tagovailoa.
What we know:
NFL sources confirmed to FOX 5’s DJ Shockley that Tagovailoa intends to sign a one-year deal with the Falcons.
The quarterback will compete with Michael Penix Jr. for the starting role heading into the 2026 season.
The deal can’t be finalized until Tagovailoa is officially released from the Dolphins on Wednesday, a team he spent six seasons leading.
The move comes at a massive cost for Miami after Tagovailoa was released just one year into the franchise-record extension he signed in 2024, triggering an NFL-record $99 million in dead cap, according to the Associated Press.
Timeline:
Tagovailoa’s arrival comes as Penix continues to recover from a torn ACL he suffered in a Week 11 game against the Carolina Panthers. He was given a 9-month timeline for recovery, which puts him on schedule to return for August training camp.
In 2025, Tagovailoa was benched by the Dolphins after throwing a career-high 15 interceptions.
He threw for a career-high completion percentage in 2024, but missed six games after suffering a concussion, his third in two years.
Tagovailoa broke out in 2022, throwing for 3,500 yards and 25 touchdowns.
Big picture view:
The Falcons have been in the market for a quarterback following the release of veteran Kirk Cousins. Cousins was benched during the 2024 season in favor of Penix Jr., but was brought back following Penix’s injury.
The Source: Information in this article comes from previous FOX 5's DJ Shockley, previous FOX 5 reporting and the Associated Press.