Updated July 13, 2026, 5:47 p.m. ET
After spending six years in Miami, former Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is hoping to get his career back on track with the Atlanta Falcons this season. Tagovailoa is still adapting to his new surroundings as he prepares to battle Michael Penix Jr. for the starting quarterback job in 2026.
Teammates in the NFL often form strong bonds that can last long after their careers are over. In other cases, players turn on each other the second they change teams. So, what exactly do Tua’s former teammates think of him now that he is no longer in Miami?
Dolphins offensive tackle Patrick Paul, who started all 17 games at offensive tackle in 2025, was asked how he thought Tagovailoa would fare in Atlanta while appearing on “The Set” with Terron Armstead.
Paul praised Tua and predicted his former teammate would win the QB competition over Penix.
“I know he’s going to go in there and he’s definitely going to win that spot,” said Paul. “He’s a great player. So I’m definitely rooting for him. I know he’s going to bounce back from what was last year, and he’s going to do his thing over there.”
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Tagovailoa certainly showed elite traits during his run with the Dolphins. His accuracy and timing were lethal when everything was clicking early on. The former Alabama standout had a passer rating over 100 in three straight seasons (2022-2024).
However, Tagovailoa’s production dipped last year, and he finished with the lowest passer rating (88.5) since his rookie season in 2020.
Tua getting a fresh start in Kevin Stefanski’s quarterback-friendly offense is certainly a reason for optimism, but don’t sleep on Penix. Both lefty quarterbacks have a lot to prove when training camp begins in a few weeks.
