Tua Tagovailoa (Getty Images)
Instead, the quarterback is heading into his first game of the 2026 season surrounded by questions. Miami lost 28-15, and Tagovailoa was eventually benched. The Falcons still have not announced that Tagovailoa will miss Sunday’s game, meaning it would be premature to declare him out.
Tua Tagovailoa’s fresh start with the Atlanta Falcons was supposed to be a chance to leave his Miami Dolphins struggles behind. Tagovailoa’s last appearance in Pittsburgh came while he was still with the Dolphins. It was his final season with the franchise before Miami moved on from him during the offseason. But instead of walking into Pittsburgh with everything going smoothly, Tagovailoa is suddenly dealing with questions about his health.
“His last visit to Pittsburgh didn’t go well,” Tomlin said, before recalling that he was in the stadium that day. “I think it’s going to be a good day for Mike McCarthy ,” he said. The Falcons listed Tagovailoa as a limited participant, while backup Cooper Rush took first-team reps after the quarterback’s apparent discomfort. And the timing could hardly be more dramatic. Tomlin then made his prediction for Sunday’s game.
Now, just days before the game, Tagovailoa has another back issue to deal with, and he is returning to the exact place where his previous chapter in Miami effectively fell apart.