Why Fins released Tua Tagovailoa; how he fits with Falcons - ESPN

The Miami Dolphins announced Monday they will release quarterback Tua Tagovailoa at the start of the new league year on Wednesday, and it didn't take long for signs to point to Tagovailoa heading to the Atlanta Falcons.

With Michael Penix Jr., who was the No. 8 pick in 2024, nursing a torn left ACL that makes him questionable to start the season, the Falcons turned to another left-handed quarterback who battled criticism last season.

Tagovailoa was 25th in QBR the past two seasons since signing a $112.4 million extension in 2024, but the Falcons are hoping he reverts back to his pre-extension performance, when he had the fifth-highest QBR from 2022-23.

Ever since he was hired in January, Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan has been noncommittal about Tagovailoa's potential return to the team. He said at the NFL combine that «everything is on the table» with the quarterback, including the possibility of a trade. The Dolphins tried to facilitate one, but with no takers, they decided to outright release the 2023 NFL passing yards leader.

The start to Sullivan's tenure in Miami has been punctuated by high-profile releases, with Tagovailoa following Tyreek Hill and Bradley Chubb. All signs are pointing toward a reset year for the Dolphins — if not an outright rebuild, even if Sullivan said he doesn't like to use either word.

NFL Nation Falcons reporter Marc Raimondi, Dolphins reporter Marcel Louis-Jacques, NFL insiders Ben Solak and Dan Graziano break down what's next for the Dolphins and Falcons.

As Sullivan and first-year head coach Jeff Hafley look to reset the team's culture with their own vision, Tagovailoa was a looming relic of the previous regime with an expensive contract as he was guaranteed $54 million this