MIAMI GARDENS — Miami Dolphins edge rusher Chop Robinson was talking about how much he enjoyed having his locker next to Tua Tagovailoa’s last season. How he considers Tagovailoa his brother. How he’s looking forward to chatting with him after the preseason finale against Tagovailoa’s Atlanta Falcons. How he misses “a great dude.”
So, if Robinson were to sack Tagovailoa on Friday night, it’s just business. Right?
“No, it’s personal,” Robinson said. “It’s always personal. We’re going against each other out there.”
Great. As if Tagovailoa didn’t have enough people on his (healing) back, even his buddies are coming for him at a pivotal time in his NFL career.
Buy Miami Dolphins tickets on StubHub
The Dolphins released Tagovailoa in a bold move by the
new regime of general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and coach Jeff Hafleyto wipe the slate clean. Tagovailoa signed with the Falcons for pocket change while the Dolphins remain on the hook, paying him about $54 million this season.
With Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta’s first-round pick in 2024, continuing to recover from another ACL tear through much of training camp, the starting job was Tagovailoa’s to lose. For much of the past few weeks, Tagovailoa was in what football players might call a competition against “air,” the terminology they use for individual passing drills against no resistance.
Unfortunately for Tagovailoa, the preseason game vs. his old team might be his last gasp for a while.
“It really seemed that the goal of the entire organization was to have Tua be the starting quarterback right away to start the season,” Ian Rapoport reported on NFL Network on Monday night. “Let Michel Penix come along slow. Remember, it’s still nine months or so since the ACL tear. Really, you’d like him to be inactive for the first several games and really just take his time and make sure he’s fully healthy.
“Tua’s play made that impossible.”
Tagovailoa went three for five for 22 yards in the preseason opener against Denver, leading the Falcons to one first down in two series. The starters didn’t play in the second preseason game.
The criticism of Tagovailoa isn’t based on only five passing attempts. It’s taking into account uninspiring play in practice, too, plus durability questions that have dogged him his entire career.
“Definitely not up to standard,” Tagovailoa said of his play after the Denver game.
Dolphins fans know Tua Tagovailoa's faults all too well
They’re words Dolphins fans know well.
- Tagovailoa, after the wild-card loss in frigid Kansas City in 2024: “It just wasn’t up to our standard.”
- Late in the 2025 season: “It’s not up to the standard that I’ve wanted it to be.”
- Last September, after an 0-2 start: “The whole operation was not up to standard.”
- Last November, with the Dolphins 3-7 en route to a 7-10 finish: “Not up to the standard.”
If Tagovailoa should light up a Dolphins secondary in a state of flux, that could silence Falcons fans calling for his benching — even if it means playing Jack Strand, an undrafted rookie from Minnesota State-Moorhead who threw for 212 yards against the Indianapolis Colts. In fact, betonline.ag rates Tagovailoa as the quarterback not named Deshaun Watson most likely to get benched.
Former Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy isn’t about to argue. Speaking on a podcast, McCoy accused Tagovailoa or not caring about football anymore: “ ‘I got my family, I got my money, my head’s right. I’m happy to even be out here.’ ”
McCoy is right about the family part. On Monday, Tagovailoa and his wife announced on Instagram that they’re expecting their third child.
This being the era of podcasts, another retired player has Tagovailoa’s back. Unsurprisingly, it’s Terron Armstead, his former left tackle who said he thinks things will work for Tagovailoa in Atlanta.
“I think he wants to prove it to himself and really just confirm to himself that he can do it at the highest level,” Armstead said. “The way it ended in Miami was not up to his standard. He does not feel OK with it and he desperately wants to get that bad taste out of his mouth.”
The Dolphins won’t be cutting Tagovailoa any breaks, even if some are eager to reunite with him.
“I love Tua,” backup quarterback Quinn Ewers said. “So he helped me a lot last year and I know I’m going to be excited to see him.”
Tight end Greg Dulcich: “It’s going to be interesting. Tua obviously is a great dude, a great teammate, so I wish him nothing but the best.”
Even the guy who said their potential meeting on a sack would be “personal” is looking forward to seeing Tagovailoa.
“When the game is over, that’s still my brother,” Robinson said.
Hal Habib covers the Miami Dolphins for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at HHabib@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Dolphins' Chop Robinson on sacking Tua Tagovailoa: 'It's personal'
Our editors independently choose our recommendations. Some content is produced with paid support from a third party, however our editorial decisions remain independent. If you buy through our links, the USA TODAY Network may earn a commission. Prices and availability may change.
