Tua Tagovailoa
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After being linked to Tua Tagovailoa, the Falcons have kicked off free agency by signing wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus
The Atlanta Falcons are stacking up their quarterback room for the 2026 season. Among the quarterbacks in the room is Tua Tagovailoa.
Tagovailoa was signed by the Atlanta Falcons on March 9, 2026. He was officially signed to a one-year contract worth up to $1.3 million.
The new Atlanta Falcons quarterback was recently clear about competing for the starting position in Atlanta.
“If there’s no competition, I don’t think anyone’s getting better, in aspect of the field of work you’re in,” Tagovailoa said in an Atlanta Falcons article. “I am excited to be able to compete against [Penix], to compete with him, to be able to get to know my teammates on a personal level, knowing them from the outside in. We have a lot of good football players on this team, so I’m excited to get to play with these guys and get the chance to throw the ball around, conversate with them. I think it’s going to be great.”
Though Tagovailoa is ready to compete for the starting position, he was pretty clear about what he needed to do to earn it.
Tagovailoa Says He Needs to Play Better in 2026
During a Tuesday virtual news conference, Tua Tagovailoa revealed that he did not play up to his standard in 2025. The Miami Dolphins released the 28-year-old after the 2025 season.
“If you’re looking at last year, my play wasn’t up to the standard of the way I’ve been playing football the past… three years since the new contract,” Tagovailoa said during a virtual news conference. “So, just got to play better football. That’s what that really means. There’s no other way to sugarcoat that or go around that.”
Tua Tagovailoa played six seasons with the Miami Dolphins. His career has been up and down due to the injuries he has suffered including multiple concussions.
“Tagovailoa, 28, led the NFL in passing yards in 2023 with 4,624 and set a career high with 29 touchdown passes.” Marc Raimondi wrote in an ESPN article. “He played that season in all 18 of Miami’s games, including an AFC wild-card loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.”
Trevor Siemian and Michael Penix to Compete with Tagovailoa
On March 24th, the Atlanta Falcons signed veteran quarterback Trevor Siemian. The 34-year-old has been journeyman backup for the majority of his career.
Trevor Siemian is a former seventh round pick out of Northwestern University. He was drafted to the Denver Broncos in 2015.
Siemian spent last season on the Tennessee Titans practice squad. He has also played for the New York Jets, New Orleans Saints and Chicago Bears.
While Michael Penix Jr. recovers from his ACL injury, this signing will provide veteran leadership in the quarterback room.
Michael Penix Jr. is expected to be available to compete for the starting position in 2026. Overall, Penix’s health has been a problem in the past. Penix Jr. entered the 2025 season as the starter for the Atlanta Falcons. Before Michael Penix Jr. went down with an ACL injury, he completed 60.1 percent of his passes while throwing for 1,982 yards during the 2025 season. He had nine total touchdowns and 3 interceptions.
Siemian, Tagovailoa, and Penix will battle it out in coming months as the Atlanta Falcons will prepare for the 2026 season.