Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s numbers this season have been disappointing.
Heading into Week 8, he had completed 139 of 205 passes (67.8%) for 1,313 passing yards (22nd in the NFL), 11 touchdowns (tied for 10th), and a league-leading 10 interceptions.
His troubling turnover rate and inability to put up points have contributed to Miami’s 1-6 start.
Just hours before kickoff at Mercedes-Benz Stadium against the Atlanta Falcons, the Dolphins revealed the latest on their franchise QB, noting that he had quietly been added to the injury report with an illness on Sunday.
Despite this, Tagovailoa will reportedly have no game status designation and Miami expects him to start against the Falcons, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
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Tagovailoa’s struggles were spotlighted in Week 7 against the Cleveland Browns (Miami lost 31-6), when the 27-year-old QB threw for a mere 100 passing yards, zero touchdowns, and three interceptions, completing just 12 of 23 passes.
These numbers are a big contrast to Tua’s career year in 2023, where he threw for 4,624 passing yards and 29 passing touchdowns, all while completing 69.3% of his passes.
Stats that earned him his massive four-year, $212.4 million extension in July 2024, which made him the highest-paid player in franchise history at the time.
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Aside from Tagovailoa’s illness, the Dolphins will also have to manage several other key losses against the Falcons.
Wide receiver Tyreek Hill (knee) and tight ends Darren Waller (pectoral) and Julian Hill (ankle) were all placed on Injured Reserve (IR) last week, while rookie fifth-round cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. (hamstring) was just placed on IR Saturday.
The Falcons, meanwhile, enter with injuries of their own, notably quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee) and wide receiver Drake London (hip), both of whom remain questionable.
Atlanta, undefeated (3-0) at home this season, enters as 6.5-point favorites with a 44.5-point over/under.
While Tagovailoa is expected to play, time will tell whether he can stabilize an already banged-up offense and reclaim that form that helped justify his long-term contract signed just one year ago.
