Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had his biggest supporters by his side when he put the pen to paper, signing a one-year, $1.3 million contract with the Falcons following his release from the Miami Dolphins last week.
His wife Annah was all smiles sitting beside him in the Falcons’ building in Flowery Branch, Ga., along with their son, Ace, born in 2022, and daughter, Maisey, born in 2023, as seen in a joint Instagram post with the team.
“ATL, I’m excited for this new opportunity. Let’s get to work. Rise up,” the caption reads.
NFL agent and attorney Chris Cabott was also in the picture.
Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham said Friday that Tagovailoa will compete with Michael Penix Jr. for the starting quarterback job.
“For Tua coming in here, he knows he’s coming in to compete,” Cunningham told reporters Friday. “Just like Michael knows that he’s coming in to compete and everybody, quite frankly — not just those two at the quarterback position — but everybody’s coming in to compete.”
Penix is recovering from a left ACL surgery last November after he sustained the injury in Week 11.
The move came after the Falcons released veteran Kirk Cousins last Wednesday.
Cousins, who lost the starting job to Penix in the 2024 season, backed him after the injury.
Cunningham explained that he spoke with Penix’s agent before Atlanta signed Tagovailoa — and that head coach Kevin Stefanski spoke with Penix himself.
“You don’t want to blindside somebody, and that’s just how we operate,” Cunningham said. “We want to have open conversations and communication, and I feel like we did that in regards to Michael and Tua.”
Last season, Tagovailoa recorded 2,660 yards, 20 touchdowns and a career-high 15 interceptions while leading the Dolphins to a 6-8 record before getting benched for rookie Quinn Ewers.
Atlanta fired head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot after a second straight 8-9 campaign.
The Falcons also hired their former franchise quarterback Matt Ryan for a new president of football operations role.
