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Tua Tagovailoa #1 of the Miami Dolphins looks to throw a pass against the Baltimore Ravens during the first quarter in the game at Hard Rock Stadium on October 30, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
The Atlanta Falcons are heading into a new era of football with head coach Kevin Stefanksi leading the way. His first job will be navigating an intriguing quarterback situation, with both Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa on the roster.
Penix, who was the Week 1 starter a year ago, missed much of the 2025 NFL season due to injury. Kirk Cousins was the starter in his place, but the Falcons decided to move on from him this offseason.
To replace Cousins, Atlanta moved quickly to sign Tagovailoa following his release from the Miami Dolphins. It was a move that has brought intrigue to the Falcons’ quarterback room.
At this point in time, Penix seems likely to be the Week 1 starter. However, there is no question that Tagovailoa signed with Atlanta intending to compete for a starting job. Whether or not he’ll be given the opportunity remains to be seen.
With that being said, Stefanski spoke out with a strong message about the former Dolphins quarterback.
Falcons HC Kevin Stefanski Opens Up About Tua Tagovailoa
While speaking to Bobby Kownack of NFL.com, Stefanski made his true feelings about Tagovailoa very clear.
“Tua was a good fit for us,” Stefanski said. “I think the football fit, the personal fit, I think he’s looking for a place where he can go and compete for a starting job, and that’s what we are offering to him. I think he’s somebody that has always competed in career, look back at his time at Alabama, so him coming in, and he wants to do what’s best for this football team, we’re excited to have him.”
Stefanski continued forward, proving more thoughts about Tagovailoa and his mindset after losing his starting job in Miami.
“There’s something to be said when you’re fired,” Stefanski said. “I can attest to that. You want to prove people wrong. You have a chip on your shoulder. I think where I’m coming into this, where Tua’s coming into this is, listen, this is not exactly how you thought it would go, but guess what, that’s the reality, and how are we gonna respond? I think that’s what he’s made of. You look back his career, you look back at his college career, he’s responded.”
Looking Back at Tua Tagovailoa’s Tenure with the Dolphins
Throughout his time with the Dolphins, Tagovailoa showed flashes of star potential. Unfortunately, injuries and consistency were problems for the quarterback.
He spent six years in Miami, completing 68 percent of his pass attempts for 18,166 yards, 120 touchdowns, and 59 interceptions. Tagovailoa also ran for 473 yards and six touchdowns.
The Dolphins clearly felt that he would be their long-term quarterback. Back in July of 2024, Tagovailoa was signed to a massive four-year, $212.4 million contract extension.
Unfortunately, things didn’t work out for him in Miami. He will now look to put things back together with the Falcons and it will be interesting to see how Stefanski handles Penix and Tagovailoa together.
Evan Massey Evan Massey is a sports reporter and analyst located in Indianapolis, Indiana who covers the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, and college sports. He has been featured on many publications, including Newsweek, Athlon Sports, ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Forbes, Bleacher Report, Sporting News, and many others. In his free time, Evan enjoys spending time with his wife and son. More about Evan Massey
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