It's been a tough week for Atlanta Falcons quarterback Tua Tagovailoa as he prepares to make his team debut this Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Tagovailoa was named the starting QB for Week 1, but head coach Kevin Stefanski wouldn't commit to him beyond the season opener.
While it's clear that Tagovailoa needs to play well to keep the job, those around the NFL have strong doubts about his ability to do so. Former Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin roasted Tua during his NBC broadcast debut on Wednesday evening.
"It's less about Aaron for me and it's more about the quarterback on the other side," Tomlin said of Tagovailoa. "His last visit to Pittsburgh didn't go well. I was in the stadium that day. They lost. He got benched. So I think it's going
to be a good day for Mike McCarthy, Patrick Graham, and the Pittsburgh Steelers and company."
Mike Tomlin was brutally honest about Tua Tagovailoa, who the Steelers play Sunday:
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 10, 2026
“His last visit to Pittsburgh didn’t go well. I was in the stadium that day. They lost. He got benched. I think it’s gonna be a good day for Mike McCarthy & the Steelers.” pic.twitter.com/UmoAT2ONbn
Tagovailoa went 22-for-28 for 253 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in a 28-15 loss in his last game against Pittsburgh. The Dolphins benched him the following week and his time in Miami came to an end shortly after.
Unfortunately, it gets worse for Tagovailoa. NBC insider Mike Florio reported that Tagovailoa is in danger of potentially being released once he is benched in Atlanta.
"There is, we’re told, a 'strong possibility' Tua will be released if/when he’s replaced," reported Florio. "The chance of that happening will increase if he eventually yields not to Penix but to veteran Cooper Rush, who has 16 NFL starts under his belt."
Last but not least, Tagovailoa is dealing with a back injury. He reportedly had a flare-up at Thursday's practice, according to ESPN's Marc Raimoni.
During the open media portion of practice, #Falcons QB Tua Tagovailoa touched his back and sat down on the grass briefly during individual drills Thursday. It was unclear exactly what had happened. He didn’t seem to throw again after, but media only gets to watch a small portion…
— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) September 10, 2026
Check back for the Falcons' Thursday injury report this afternoon for more information on Tagovailoa's back.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Former Steelers coach takes shot at Falcons QB ahead of Week 1
