Tua Tagovailoa's career with the Atlanta Falcons is starting off exactly where it ended with the Miami Dolphins. On the sideline. The former Dolphins quarterback has been ruled out of Sunday's game after hurting his back in practice.
Dolphins fans know all too well what it is like to have a QB on the roster that isn't always available. In his six seasons with Miami, Tua was able to play a full slate of 17 games just once. The fact that he is injured again isn't really news, but it does bring his future into question.
Tagovailoa's injury occurred during practice when he sat on the ground holding his back. It has been reported as an oblique injury. The QB wasn't hit before the injury. Despite getting up quickly, he sat out the rest of the practice and will now sit out week one.
Former Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa could find himself a free agent soon
According to Pro Football Talk, the Falcons may consider releasing Tagovailoa if he loses his job to third-team QB Cooper Rush. Rush will start on Sunday, with Michael Penix serving as the backup despite not being at 100%.
Tagovailoa has struggled incredibly this offseason, his first with the Falcons. It was so bad that, at one point, the QB was the only healthy guy at the position, and head coach Kevin Stefanski still would not name him the team's starter.
Tua was given the starting job only days ago, before suffering an oblique injury. But what does this mean for his future?
All jokes aside, it's difficult to see a path for him to stay with the Falcons despite his contract not being more than the league minimum. If the Falcons do release him, it's possible he will sit out most of the season until another team suffers an injury to their starter.
The real question is whether or not this could be the end of his NFL career. That, too, is possible. From an outsider looking in, Tagovailoa didn't seem as focused throughout the Falcons' offseason. It was a golden opportunity to take advantage of zero competition, but he didn't. That's concerning.
Miami fans know what it was like over the last two seasons, especially the better part of last year. When things were going well, Tua played at a high level, but when it got bad, he regressed instead of carrying the load himself.
From several concussions to minor finger injuries, Tagovailoa's NFL career has been marked by injury consistency that he couldn't, and still can't, overcome. As a result, his future in Atlanta may be over, and perhaps even his NFL career.
Add us as a preferred source on Google