Tua Tagovailoa returned to South Florida as an Atlanta Falcon to face his former Miami Dolphins teammates in a preseason game, an occasion met with boos from the home crowd.
The six-season tenure between Tagovailoa and the Dolphins ended in an offseason divorce, with both parties reportedly believing they are better off post-separation.
Tagovailoa joined the Falcons attempting to earn a starting quarterback position, a goal complicated by his performance in training camp. He has reportedly been competing against Michael Penix Jr., who has had limited practice time while recovering from a 2025 knee surgery. Despite limited competition, Tagovailoa has not yet secured the starting role.
The Dolphins, meanwhile, moved on from Tagovailoa despite his significant contract, a move seen as part of a larger effort to address salary cap issues created by the previous administration. The team is described as undergoing a rebuild and is considered by some to be among the least talented in the NFL.
In the preseason matchup, Tagovailoa completed 7 of 8 passes. His first drive resulted in a touchdown, highlighted by a 43-yard completion to Kyle Pitts that began as a short pitch and was extended against a defense described as scattered. Later drives saw fumbles from both Tagovailoa and running back Brian Robinson, with the Dolphins defense recovering both.
Tagovailoa's performance was characterized as "not really that good" despite the statistics. The Dolphins' defense, playing with backups, is expected to face significant challenges in the regular season. The game itself was described as a "Sadness Bowl" between a rebuilding team and a quarterback who has not yet proven sufficient for a starting role.