​After six fluctuating seasons, the Miami Dolphins decided to move on from Tua Tagovailoa as their starting quarterback and brought in Malik Willis on a three-year, $67.5 million contract earlier this offseason. While Dolphins fans will be eagerly following their team in 2026, a portion of the focus will also turn to the Atlanta Falcons to see how Tagovailoa performs in his new setting, where he steps in for Michael Penix.
Interestingly, Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay recently pegged Tagovailoa as a dark-horse contender for the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year Award in 2026. “Given Atlanta is in the middle of the NFL’s second-longest active playoff drought and has a new head coach in Kevin Stefanski, it would be surprising if Tagovailoa doesn’t edge the incumbent in training camp,” Kay wrote. “The new regime isn’t bound to the previous controversial first-round pick and is intent on hitting the ground running—the same way Stefanski stepped in and helped the Cleveland Browns reach the playoffs in his first season six years ago.”
Tagovailoa’s odds of winning Comeback Player of the Year at 45-1 are hard to ignore. While Kyler Murray—a fellow veteran passer who was released by the Arizona Cardinals and landed with the Minnesota Vikings—finds himself in a similar situation, his value at +550 odds is considerably less enticing. At 28 years old, Tagovailoa delivered several solid campaigns in Miami, but injuries limited his ability to translate that promise into sustained success with the Dolphins. As a result, fans hold mixed feelings about him, yet many would be glad to witness a rebound that earns him notable recognition.
This discussion has been featured on Dolphins Wire, which highlighted Tagovailoa as a candidate for a major NFL award and a potential narrative pivot for his career. The broader takeaway is that Tagovailoa’s move to Atlanta introduces an intriguing storyline: can he rebound, rebuild trust, and emerge as a top contender for Comeback Player of the Year in a league that rewards resilience and turnaround stories? That question will shape how fans and analysts evaluate both Tagovailoa’s performance and the Falcons’ early-season trajectory as they navigate a demanding schedule with fresh leadership and renewed ambition.