Tua Tagovailoa could be Kevin Stefanski’s undoing just like Shedeur Sanders and Browns QBs

Tua Tagovailoa helped turn Mike McDaniel from the NFL’s next coaching genius into an ex-Dolphin in Miami.

First-year Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski – who burned through quarterbacks with the Cleveland Browns – should already be concerned about his long-term future with Tagovailoa struggling in Atlanta.

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“Frustrated and disappointed at the way things happened as we went out there,” said Tagovailoa, who was outplayed by Jarrett Stidham, Sam Ehlinger and Jack Strand in the Falcons’ 2026 preseason debut.

The good news for Atlanta is that the investment in Tagovailoa is minimal.

The No. 5 overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft is on a one-year, $1.2 million deal that is as cheap as it gets for a veteran starting QB.

That’s because the Dolphins foolishly gave the often-injured Tagovailoa a monster deal, and Miami is still paying its former franchise QB almost $53m this year.

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Add in an NFL record $99.2m in dead money against the salary cap because of the huge miss on Tagovailoa, and Atlanta is basically getting a Pro Bowler for free.

The problems with that simple math?

Second-year QB Michael Penix Jr. was supposed to be challenging Tagovailoa for the Falcons’ starting job during training camp, and Atlanta’s rookie president of football isn’t making it any easier on Stefanski in a shared year one.

Matt Ryan knows as well as anyone how hard it is to win weekly in the NFL.

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He’s a former MVP who should’ve won Super Bowl Super Bowl LI against Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots.

In handing Stefanksi an inefficient Tagovailoa and a rehabbing Penix, Atlanta is on the verge of starting the 2026 season with the worst QB depth chart in the league.

Tagovailoa only played two series during a 27-7 home loss to the Denver Broncos.

The ex-Alabama star completed 3-of-5 passes for 22 yards and fumbled a shotgun snap.

“I’m wanting to go out there for points on the board, not go out there and we’ll go three-and-out, three-and-out — not be able to perform to the level that I know I’m able to do,” Tagovailoa said. 

It’s early, it’s only the preseason, Atlanta has talent on both sides of the ball, and the NFC South is winnable in 2026.

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But Tagovailoa has been an NFL question mark for years, and the Falcons’ decision to quickly jump on Stefanski after he was discarded by Cleveland was odd when it happened.

The ex-Browns coach handled his QB room poorly in 2025, initially preferring 40-year-old Joe Flacco over rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, then not giving Sanders the necessary backing when the fifth-round pick finally received a green light. 

Stefanski went 45-56 with the Browns, fighting off annual front-office dysfunction and dealing with the Deshaun Watson contract disaster.

But two NFL Coach of the Year honors were offset by his Cleveland squad burning through Baker Mayfield, Case Keenum, Jacoby Brissett, P.J. Walker, Flacco, Watson, Gabriel, Watson and more at QB.

Now the new Falcons HC has set up Tagovailoa and Penix as his 2026 QB options, and Penix still can’t get on the field following an ACL injury he suffered after being the surprise No. 8 overall pick of the 2024 draft.

“It’s hard to give a grade on that sample size,” said Stefanski, backing off an early evaluation of Tagovailoa and failing to inspire new hope in Falcons fans.

Atlanta is widely predicted to win eight games and miss the playoffs this season.

That currently feels optimistic with Tagovailoa apologizing for underperforming, and Stefanksi again picking a starting QB who wouldn’t start for the majority of NFL teams.