Why Fins released Tua Tagovailoa; how he fits with Falcons
The Miami Dolphins announced Monday that they will release quarterback Tua Tagovailoa at the start of the new league year on Wednesday, and it didn't take long for signs to point to Tagovailoa heading to the Atlanta Falcons. With Michael Penix Jr., who was the eighth pick in 2024, suffering a torn left ACL that makes him questionable to start the season, the Falcons turned to another left-handed quarterback who battled criticism last season. Tagovailoa has ranked 25th in QBR the past two seasons since signing a $112.4 million extension in 2024, but the Falcons expect him to return to his pre-extension performance, when he had the fifth-best QBR from 2022-23. Since being hired in January, Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan has been noncommittal about Tagovailoa's possible return to the team. He said at the NFL combine that "everything is on the table" with the quarterback, including the possibility of a trade. The Dolphins tried to facilitate one, but with no one to take them, they decided to release the 2023 NFL passing yards leader entirely. The start of Sullivan's tenure in Miami has been marked by high-profile pitches, with Tagovailoa following Tyreek Hill and Bradley Chubb. All signs point toward a reset year for the Dolphins, if not a complete rebuild, even if Sullivan said he doesn't like using any of those words. NFL Nation Falcons reporter Marc Raimondi, Dolphins reporter Marcel Louis-Jacques, NFL experts Ben Solak and Dan Graziano break down what's next for the Dolphins and Falcons. Why did the Dolphins release Tagovailoa? And why now? As Sullivan and first-year head coach Jeff Hafley look to reset the team's culture with their own vision, Tagovailoa was a looming relic of the previous regime with an expensive contract, as he was guaranteed $54 million this season. After battling multiple injuries in 2024, Tagovailoa was benched after throwing a career-high 15 interceptions in 14 games last season, raising questions about his future with the team. His season was also marred by multiple missteps in his dealings with the media, and he angered his teammates when he publicly called out anonymous players for showing up late to player-led video sessions. Releasing Tagovailoa now, albeit with a post-June 1 designation, allowed the Dolphins to begin their search for a new quarterback, a short one as they agreed to terms with Malik Willis. --Louis-Jacques How will Tagovailoa fit with the Falcons? Tagovailoa is an interesting fit in Atlanta. He's a left-handed quarterback, like Penix, which is more important than you think to keep the playbook consistent and help receivers adjust to the opposite spin of the ball. Tagovailoa isn't the type of aggressive passer who works well with a jump-ball specialist like Drake London, but he is a quick-distributing underneath shooter who will execute Kevin Stefanski's offense well. The Falcons need more playmakers after the catch, and they've already begun that search with the signing of free agent receiver Olamide Zaccheaus. --solak Will it be an open competition for the starting QB spot? Everything will depend on Penix's health. If he returns from that torn ACL, then he and Tagovailoa will compete for the starting job. If Penix isn't healthy by August, then it appears Tagovailoa's job will be to start the season, and the Falcons will figure things out once Penix is back. Expect a competition at some point, if not right away. --Raimondi What does this mean for the development and future of Penix? It means that the Falcons regime is not as committed to Penix as the previous one, which is not surprising. Former coach Raheem Morris and former general manager Terry Fontenot surprised the NFL by moving Penix to the No. 8 seed in 2024, a month after guaranteeing Kirk Cousins a $100 million contract. They