Tua Tagovailoa’s difficult start to life with the Atlanta Falcons has taken another turn after a rough joint practice against the Indianapolis Colts.
The veteran quarterback struggled during 11-on-11 work in Westfield, Indiana, and it didn’t take long for his mistakes to go viral. With the 2026 season approaching, the performance has raised fresh questions about whether Tagovailoa can regain his best form in Atlanta.
Tua Tagovailoa Fails to Impress in Practice
Tagovailoa went 8-of-13 during full-team drills against Indianapolis, but the numbers didn’t tell the whole story. He took multiple sacks, fumbled a third-down snap, and ended the session by throwing a pick-six to Colts cornerback Justin Walley.
The sequence drew plenty of criticism.
Pro Football Network (PFN) analysts offered scathing assessments of the veteran signal-caller’s trajectory.
Analyst Ian Cummings questioned whether Tagovailoa has anything left to offer, saying, “A lot’s been made of Tua’s latest poor practice, but I think it’s just a continuation of what we knew: He’s got nothing left in the tank. I’d love to see Dante Moore in Kevin Stefanski’s system, with those weapons, if the Falcons get in that position.”
A lot’s been made of Tua’s latest poor practice, but I think it’s just a continuation of what we knew: He’s got nothing left in the tank.
I’d love to see Dante Moore in Kevin Stefanski’s system, with those weapons, if the Falcons get in that position. pic.twitter.com/WcPoujGrbL
— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) August 21, 2026
Jacob Infante kept his reaction brief, simply writing, “Tua”, while sharing a graphic that read, “Long story short, it’s over.” The response reflected just how quickly the criticism around Tagovailoa has intensified.
Tua pic.twitter.com/gKS8Lixr4Q
— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) August 21, 2026
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Oliver Hodgkinson took a broader view of Tagovailoa’s career, writing: “Tua’s fall from grace from his 2018 season for Alabama to what we see now might just be one of the saddest things in recent football history.”
Matt Infante offered an equally blunt reaction, saying, “I won’t miss this,” highlighting how little patience some analysts have left after watching Tagovailoa struggle all over again.
I won’t miss this. https://t.co/rpVvJaRjrm
— Matt Infante (@MattInfante) August 21, 2026
Brandon Austin also brought up Atlanta’s other quarterback, writing, “Michael Penix Jr. watching Tua out there.”
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What’s Going Wrong for Tua Tagovailoa?
The poor showing against Indianapolis was not an isolated incident.
Tagovailoa also struggled during Atlanta’s preseason opener against the Denver Broncos, where his drives produced only one first down and included another fumbled snap.
Several factors could be behind his struggles.
Tagovailoa has not shown much downfield explosiveness, with most of his throws against the Colts coming underneath. He is also adjusting to a new offensive system after moving from Mike McDaniel’s motion-heavy offense in Miami to Kevin Stefanski’s system in Atlanta.
Pressure has also been an issue. When the pocket collapses, Tagovailoa has shown hesitation and made costly mistakes, while still developing chemistry with Drake London.
Despite the growing criticism, Tagovailoa remains the likely starter for Atlanta’s Week 1 opener.
Michael Penix Jr. is still recovering from knee surgery, leaving Tagovailoa as the team’s most experienced option under center.
That should allow the veteran quarterback to settle into Stefanski’s offense before the regular season begins. For now, Atlanta is counting on the former Pro Bowl quarterback to turn things around before the games start to matter.
