Tua Tagovailoa Booed Loudly by Dolphins Fans in Return to Miami

Tua Tagovailoa helped Falcons score a rushing touchdown on his return to Miami.

Tua Tagovailoa Booed Loudly by Dolphins Fans in Return to Miami

Tua Tagovailoa (Image via IMAGO)

The Miami Dolphins fans gave former quarterback Tua Tagovailoa a hostile welcome when he returned to Hard Rock Stadium with his new team, the Atlanta Falcons, for the season’s final exhibition fixture. Tua did not finish the game.

Tagovailoa, 28, entered free agency after the Dolphins released him earlier in the year. The Falcons’ newly appointed head coach, Kevin Stefanski, signed the former CFP champion as direct competition to Michael Penix Jr.

Stefanski also added former Dallas and Baltimore backup QB Cooper Rush and UDFA rookie Jack Strand. In Penix’s absence, Stefanski has rotated quarterback duties between these three.

On Friday, Tagovailoa lined up against the Dolphins in front of a moderate turnout at Hard Rock Stadium. That said, fans made their feelings clear about the Pro Bowl signal-caller. He was booed the entire time he spent under center.

And for good reason. According to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network, Tagovailoa fumbled a couple of snaps and looked uncomfortable in the pocket.

Wolfe further noted that Tua was mostly limited to short-yard throws and did not attempt a single long ball. Tagovailoa finished his night with 7 of 8 completions for 95 yards and set up Bijan Robinson for a three-yard score.

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Tua Tagovailoa reacted to Dolphins fans’ boos in final preseason game

Fans jeering their least favorite person is not an anomaly. It happens across the league.

Tua Tagovailoa Booed Loudly by Dolphins Fans in Return to Miami
Tua Tagovailoa (Image via IMAGO)

Tagovailoa is the latest to experience such an atmosphere. But he did not take the hostile treatment negatively.


I’ve had 6 years here, and those are probably some of the best 6 years of my life… regardless of the reaction, I love the city.

Tua Tagovailoa said after the game via the Atlanta Falcons

The Dolphins drafted Tagovailoa 5th overall in 2020. Over the next six seasons, he went 44-32 in the regular season. In 2023, he finished as the league’s best passer. The Dolphins qualified for consecutive playoff seasons for the first time since the early 2000s.

Unfortunately, multiple concussions and other injuries derailed Tagovailoa’s career at South Beach. During his final year (2025), he went 6-8 before being replaced by rookie Quinn Ewers. In March, Tua switched from the AFC to the NFC, signing a one-year extension with the Falcons.

It wasn’t fun being in my position, but outside of that, I wasn’t playing up to the standard I had been playing in years past. You have to be real with yourself… Hafley and Sully were really good in that process with me.

Tagovailoa said

Rush replaced Tua in the second quarter. He threw a touchdown pass to Jack Velling. Veteran kicker Nick Folk increased his team’s lead with a 34-yard field goal. Miami reduced the deficit with a string of FGs, but the game eventually ended in a 17-12 victory for the NFC South franchise.

Will Tua Tagovailoa take over as the Falcons’ starting quarterback?

The Falcons are the only remaining team that has yet to decide their starting quarterback for the 2026 season. Penix did not feature against the Dolphins, and there’s still doubt whether he will be ready by week one.

Rush struggled the last time he started back-to-back games in the league, which was last year in Baltimore. And Strand is a rookie. Stefanski or any other coach will think twice before giving an UDFA first-team football from day one, even though the former FCS standout has been the Falcons’ best signal-caller in preseason.

Unless Penix becomes healthy before the regular season and assumes QB1 duty, Stefanski has to stick with Tagovailoa.

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