Tua Tagovailoa plans to sign with Falcons after Dolphins release him from roster: report

Tua Tagovailoa won’t person to spell acold to commencement his adjacent section successful the NFL. 

The ex-Miami Dolphins backmost "plans to sign" a one-year woody with the Atlanta Falcons, joining chap left-handed thrower Michael Penix Jr. successful what’s expected to beryllium a backmost contention heading into the 2026 season, per ESPN reported. 

The Dolphins officially made their determination connected Tagovailoa connected Monday, though the penning has been connected the partition for rather immoderate time. Dolphins caller wide manager Jon-Eric Sullivan announced that the squad volition merchandise him erstwhile escaped bureau begins, cutting ties with the team’s 2020 first-round draught prime arsenic a caller authorities moves in, including caput manager Jeff Hafley. 

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Miami Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa (1) walks disconnected the tract aft a failed two-point conversion effort successful the 2nd fractional of an NFL shot crippled against the Pittsburgh Steelers successful Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, connected Dec. 15, 2025. (Justin Berl/AP Photo)

Miami rapidly recovered a imaginable Tagovailoa replacement, too, agreeing to presumption with Malik Willis, who Sullivan and Hafley cognize good arsenic helium backed up Jordan Love with the Green Bay Packers successful caller seasons. 

"As I shared with Tua, I person large respect for the idiosyncratic and subordinate helium is," Sullivan said successful a statement. "On behalf of the Miami Dolphins, I expressed our gratitude for his galore contributions, some connected the tract and successful the community, during his six seasons successful Miami."

DOLPHINS APPEAR TO FIND TUA TAGOVAILOA'S REPLACEMENT AS FREE AGENCY OPENS

There was chatter astir Tagovailoa perchance joining the Falcons, who besides made a backmost determination by letting seasoned Kirk Cousins spell to prosecute his adjacent accidental astir the league. 

With a one-year woody (terms were not disclosed), Tagovailoa figures to conflict it retired successful grooming campy with Penix, whom the Falcons took eighth wide successful the 2024 NFL Draft retired of Washington. He’s coming disconnected a partially torn ACL suffered successful Week 11 against the Carolina Panthers. 

Miami Dolphins backmost Tua Tagovailoa (1) looks to walk during the archetypal fractional of an NFL shot crippled against the Atlanta Falcons connected Oct. 26, 2025, successful Atlanta, Georgia. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Before then, Penix, who went 3-6 successful his 9 starts past play for Atlanta, threw for 1,982 yards with 9 touchdown passes and 3 interceptions, completing 60.1% of his throws. 

Meanwhile, Tagovailoa could payment from a caller commencement aft struggling successful his last twelvemonth with Miami past season. He went 6-8 arsenic the team’s starter, throwing for 2,660 yards with 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions, arsenic the Dolphins failed to marque the playoffs erstwhile again. 

This wasn’t what the Dolphins had successful caput aft the Alabama merchandise did capable to warrant a four-year, $212.4 cardinal declaration hold astatine the commencement of the 2024 season. Now, Miami is expected to marque Tagovailoa a post-June 1 designation, taking connected $99 cardinal successful dormant headdress abstraction divided implicit the adjacent 2 seasons, ESPN reported.

Miami Dolphins backmost Tua Tagovailoa (1) throws a walk successful the archetypal fractional of an NFL shot crippled against the New York Jets, Monday, Sept. 29, 2025, successful Miami Gardens, Florida. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

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Tagovailoa made conscionable 1 playoff quality and 1 Pro Bowl successful his six seasons with the Dolphins, which came successful 2023 erstwhile Miami went 11-6. 

The Falcons are hopeless to get backmost into the playoffs, having done truthful past successful 2017 wherever they mislaid successful the Divisional Round. Under the enactment of Matt Ryan astatine quarterback, the Falcons made the Super Bowl successful 2016, though it was an infamous ending, having blown a 28-3 pb to the New England Patriots. 

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