Tua Tagovailoa’s Uncertain Next Chapter

Tread carefully around the Falcons’ training fields in Flowery Branch, Georgia—you might inadvertently hurt a quarterback.

While Cleveland grapples with a highly controversial quarterback situation, Atlanta is dealing with a particularly fragile one. Two frequently injured quarterbacks, Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr., are cautiously vying for the starting position as if they were navigating a slippery hockey rink.

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Penix, who partially tore his ACL last November, has now received clearance for full 11-on-11 practices as of Monday, signaling the beginning of a serious competition for the Falcons’ quarterback role. This is timely, as the regular season opener approaches, and it’s crucial to have a starting quarterback ready by then.

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The Falcons signed Tagovailoa at a bargain price—one year for $1.2 million—serving as both a safety net and a training challenge for Penix. This move signifies a new chapter for Tagovailoa, who came into prominence at Alabama with his memorable second-and-26 national championship-winning pass against Georgia—right in the same venue where the Falcons play. After being drafted by Miami during the pandemic, Tagovailoa had a tumultuous six seasons riddled with injuries.

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Tagovailoa occupies a unique, empathetic position in today’s NFL, having endured multiple high-profile injuries, including at least four documented concussions and various other health issues. A significant portion of NFL fans and commentators have urged Tagovailoa to consider retirement—not out of concern for the team’s performance, but due to worries about his long-term health.

A newly released study revealing that 25 percent of recently deceased NFL players had CTE serves as a grim reminder of the risks linked to head injuries in the league. If you were to compile a list of players currently battling the effects of concussion-related injuries, Tagovailoa would undoubtedly top that list without any close contenders.

The numerous head injuries alone warrant caution regarding Tagovailoa, but he has also sustained various injuries throughout his body—back, shoulder, knee, hip, ankle, throwing hand, foot, ribs. Point to any area of his body, and he has probably encountered issues that caused him to miss playing time. He’s been carted off fields from coast to coast, representing both Alabama and Miami. Now, even in Falcon red-and-black, the pressing question remains: How much more can he endure?

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Tagovailoa has stated that his faith plays a significant role in helping him navigate what has been one of the most challenging journeys in the NFL. “It helps me feel grounded and gives me perspective on what truly matters in life,” he commented recently during training camp. “Football is just what we do; it’s not who we are.”

After dealing with a tight back early in preseason, Tagovailoa has taken first-team snaps while Penix recovers. His performances in practice have shown promise, although his first preseason game against the Broncos was disappointing—3-for-5 for 22 yards and only one first down in two drives. He’s never been known for a powerful arm, and he’s yet to find his groove in a Falcons uniform.

“We need to maximize every opportunity, and we didn’t do that,” Tagovailoa acknowledged after the Broncos game, via The Athletic. “It wasn’t good enough. I need to elevate my game for my teammates.”

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“He’s improving every day,” insisted Falcons quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt recently, per the team’s site. “He’s getting more comfortable with our system, play calls, and protection adjustments.”

Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski is remaining discreet about naming the starter, hoping to evaluate Penix’s performance during full team practices. Similar to the ongoing situation in Cleveland, the fact that Tagovailoa has not yet secured the role is telling in itself. (Tagovailoa did not participate in the Falcons’ second preseason game; neither did other starters.)

The Falcons found themselves in this tricky situation after drafting Penix just weeks after signing the now-removed Kirk Cousins, only to see both players trend toward injuries and reduced effectiveness. What was anticipated to be a position of strength has instead transformed into one of the largest uncertainties in the NFL.

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For a franchise enduring the longest playoff drought outside of the Jets—now spanning eight years—the Falcons cannot afford any more unknowns. Atlanta needs clarity, and they need it quickly. The critical question remains: Is Tagovailoa the right answer for them?