The Miami Dolphins made the sort of history no NFL team wants to make by deciding to release quarterback Tua Tagovailoa on Monday. As per ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques, Tagovailoa’s post-June 1 designation allows the Dolphins to spread his dead money salary cap hit across the next two years, but the $99.2 million in dead money is the most in league history.
Because the Dolphins have to eat much of the extension Tagovailoa signed in July 2024 - including owing him $54million in 2026 - the 2020 No. 5 overall pick will be free to sign for cheap with another team. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported later on Monday that Tagovailoa plans to sign with the Atlanta Falcons on a one-year contract.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell listed Tagovailoa among his “winners” of NFL free agency, which officially starts on Wednesday at 4 p.m. EST. Barnwell explained why the 28-year-old chose correctly in the Falcons.
“In Atlanta, Tagovailoa will get to play in a dome,” Barnwell wrote, in part. “He’ll have the inside track to the starting job because of Michael Penix Jr.’s torn ACL. The Falcons had an excellent Bijan Robinson-led running game in 2025, and they were already built to accommodate a left-handed quarterback. New coach Kevin Stefanski also leaned heavily into a left-sided boot action game despite fielding right-handed quarterbacks during his time in Cleveland, which should be an easy fit for Tagovailoa.”
As mentioned, Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. suffered a torn ACL last November. The 2024 No. 8 overall pick underwent reconstruction surgery, and Schefter reported at the time that his recovery timetable was nine months. Atlanta is also set to release veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins at the start of the new league year on Wednesday.
Before news broke that Atlanta agreed to terms with Tagovailoa, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport explained why Tagovailoa was appealing to the Falcons.
“The reason they have to bring a quarterback in at a cut rate is because they are still dealing with the ramifications of that Kirk Cousins deal,” Rapoport said. “Remember, he is getting $10 million from the Atlanta Falcons this season, plus there is the cap hit. So, they have been in a situation where they really can’t spend on a quarterback.”
Rapoport also predicted that Tagovailoa could be the Falcons’ starter for somewhere between “a couple of games” and the first month of the 2026 NFL season before Penix Jr. is back up to speed.
While Tagovailoa led the league in passing yards (4,624) in 2023 and in completion percentage (72.9) in 2024, he is coming off his worst season as a pro. In 2025, he threw for 2,660 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions before getting benched in December. After the season, he told reporters a fresh start outside of Miami “would be dope” and he “would be good with it.” Atlanta, it is.
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