After a tumultuous season last year, the Miami Dolphins have done major organization changes ahead of the 2026 NFL season.
It includes the hiring of head coach Jeff Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivian, trading away wide receiver Jaylen Waddle for draft picks, and parting ways with former first-round quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Tagovailoa ended up in the NFC on the Atlanta Falcons with a one-year, $1.215 million veteran contract.
As training camp began for the Falcons, Tagovailoa is dealing with something the Dolphins are all too familiar with.
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Tua Tagovailoa is Struggling With a Minor Back Injury at the Atlanta Falcons Training Camp
Per Atlanta Falcons beat writer Josh Kendall, Tua Tagovailoa is dealing with a minor injury at the start of training camp.
“Tua Tagovailoa also on a shelf for now,” Kendall wrote on X this morning. “He ‘is dealing with an injury right now. It’s not long term. He’ll be out there sooner than later. … Something flared up, he’ll be back shortly,’ [Head coach Kevin] Stefanski said.”
Injuries has riddled Tagovailoa’s short NFL career. In six seasons with the Dolphins, Tagovailoa has suffered eight injuries that kept him off the field for at least a game, including two Grade 3 head cranial concussions.
Nearly every season of his career, Tagovailoa has missed at least one game to injury. In 2020 he missed one game due to a thumb injury, in 2021 he missed four games because of fractured ribs and a broken finger, in 2022 he missed five due to concussions, and in 2024 he missed six games due to hip/ribs injuries and a concussion.
Tagovailoa’s signing with the Falcons did not guarantee an automatic starting spot. He is currently in a QB1 battle with Michael Penix Jr. who is not yet cleared to play because of a knee injury that he suffered in Week 11.
“Tua Tagovailoa starts camp out with minor back injury — should be a handful of days,” NFL insider Cameron Wolfe posted on X. “Michael Penix hasn’t been fully cleared yet. Good for 7 on 7s. Hope is he’s cleared during camp & ideally preseason action So Falcons down both QB1 competitors for full team drills to start camp.”
Because of Tagovailoa and Penix’s injuries, the Falcons have signed former Baltimore Ravens backup quarterback Cooper Rush.
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Malik Willis’ Expectations With the Miami Dolphins
During free agency, Malik Willis was the most sought after quarterback after a spectacular showing from a backup QB when Jordan Love went down for the Green Bay Packers.
The Dolphins signed him to a three-year, $67.5 million contract in hopes that he will develop into a true QB1.
His first season as a starter comes under immense pressure as it will be a make-or-break season coming up on a QB heavy draft class.
Analysts have Willis ranked 30th amongst NFL quarterbacks.
However ahead of training camp, Sports Illustrated’s Connor Orr predicted that Willis will outperform Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix this season.
“The stat, which essentially measures quarterback efficiency on a down-to-down basis, will favor the type of athletic small ball the Dolphins will try to play with their bridge quarterback in 2026, while the big-game hunting Nix will be taking more shots at new target (and former Dolphin) Jaylen Waddle,” Orr wrote.
Dolphins beat writer David Furones wrote that there was nothing special about Willis in his first training camp practice, but he made no big mistakes either.
Willis has 14 days until the Dolphins first preseason game and 46 days until the first regular season NFL game to find his footing.
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