Tua Tagovailoa’s NFL career is in a tough spot following his release from the Miami Dolphins, but his brother is still trying to find his feet in the lower leagues. Taulia Tagovailoa also committed to Alabama initially, but he played at Maryland for most of his college career and is now in the United Football League (UFL).
D.C. Defenders Mock Taulia Tagovailoa After Turnovers in UFL Debut
Being the brother of a famous quarterback hasn’t translated to success for Taulia. While his brother was a top-five pick in the NFL Draft, he went undrafted at the end of his college career and did not sign with a team, even as an undrafted free agent.
On Saturday, he got a taste of pro football. He recently signed with the Houston Gamblers of the UFL and made his debut.
It wasn’t the best of starts, though, with multiple turnovers coming from Taulia. Naturally, he was the subject of trolls; the incredible part is that even the opposing team engaged in the fun.
The D.C. Defenders, who faced the Gamblers on Saturday, shared a video of Tagovailoa’s fumble during the game. The video came with a caption naming him “Taulia Turndaballova,” referencing one of the multiple times he had a giveaway during his UFL debut:
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In his debut, he completed just over 50% of his throws, with 21 of 40 passes going for 171 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. He added 23 yards in 4 rushes, but he also had a fumble.
Taulia’s career never took off as Tua’s did. He switched from Alabama to Maryland when his brother left for the NFL Draft and played there for four years. The younger Tagovailoa was never seriously considered a top draft prospect; not signing with a team as an undrafted free agent was a strong signal of how NFL teams see him.
The family has seen major changes in recent months. The older Tagovailoa was released from the Miami Dolphins after six seasons, signing a one-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons. He’ll compete for the starter spot with Michael Penix Jr., a former first-round pick for Atlanta.
The Tagovailoa family has produced multiple professional quarterbacks, but they’re unlikely to ever come close to the success of other brother duos. Still, with the NFL season on hold until September, the UFL could represent an avenue for those who miss watching football. Many former NFL stars currently play there.
