Tagovailoa to start for Falcons vs. Dolphins in finale

Tua Tagovailoa will start for the Atlanta Falcons in their preseason finale against the Miami Dolphins on August 29, 2026, marking his first game against the team that released him this offseason. The matchup carries significant weight for Tagovailoa, who is competing to retain the starting quarterback job with Atlanta, and for Dolphins edge rusher Chop Robinson, who is eager for a chance to tackle his former teammate.

Tagovailoa, who spent six seasons with Miami, was released in March 2026 and subsequently signed a one-year, $1.3 million veteran minimum contract with the Falcons. He arrived in Atlanta as the expected starter while Michael Penix Jr. recovered from a partially torn ACL sustained in November 2025. However, Tagovailoa's performance during training camp and preseason has altered the team's plans. In his preseason debut against the Denver Broncos, he completed three of five passes for 22 yards and led the offense to just one first down across two series.

According to reports, the Falcons' original strategy was to have Tagovailoa start the regular season while Penix continued his recovery. That plan has become difficult to execute due to Tagovailoa's uneven play....