Tua Tagovailoa will have a new home for the first time in his NFL career, as the quarterback landed a one-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons after being released by the Miami Dolphins.
Tagovailoa’s career has been marred by injuries to this point, which played no small part in his release. The veteran passer, however, recently revealed that he is healthy and ready to contribute to the Falcons.
Tua Tagovailoa Addresses Health Concerns as He Prepares for 2026
The Alabama product spent the first six seasons of his career with the Dolphins. During that time, Tagovailoa threw for over 18,000 yards, earned one Pro Bowl bid, and led the league in passing in 2023.
However, despite flashes of brilliance, Tagovailoa played a full season only once for the Dolphins. The quarterback had a couple of concussions, which is even more concerning for his long-term health.
On Tuesday, the quarterback acknowledged that football is a physical sport and that you never know when an injury will occur.
“The game of football will always entail physicality,” said Tagovailoa. “You can never foreshadow what the future is going to look like as far as your health.”
Tagovailoa on his health: The game of football will always entail physicality. You can never foreshadow what the future is going to look like as far as your health. … In terms of health, went through all the protocols of what I needed to do for the #Falcons. All of it came out…
— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) March 24, 2026
In 2025, Tagovailoa played in 14 games and threw for 2,660 yards with 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. PFSN’s QB Impact metric gave the passer a 72.2 grade, which ranked 27th out of 48 qualified passers.
“In terms of health, I went through all the protocols of what I needed to do for the Falcons,” Tagovailoa explained. “All of it came out good.”
If Tagovailoa is indeed fully healthy, the quarterback could end up being a steal for the Falcons.
Can Tagovailoa Beat Out Michael Penix Jr. in Atlanta?
It’s assumed that the Falcons brought in Tagovailoa as insurance for Michael Penix Jr. In his first season as the starter in 2025, Penix struggled, throwing for 1,982 yards with nine touchdowns and three interceptions.
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PFSN’s QB Impact metric gave Penix a 70.1 grade, which ranked 31st out of 48 quarterbacks. The Falcons also no longer have veteran Kirk Cousins on the roster, so they needed more experience in the room.
At his best, Tagovailoa was a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback who even received an MVP vote in 2022. However, since 2023, Tagovailoa has been inconsistent at best. If the change of scenery helps, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Tagovailoa have a career resurgence.
