RUMOR: Strong possibility Tua Tagovailoa is released if/when benched

The Falcons' quarterback situation could have a hard landing if Tua Tagovailoa gets benched. Pro Football Talk reports there is a "strong possibility" Tua will be released if and when he is replaced as Atlanta's starter — a scenario that would gain steam if he eventually yields not to the recovering Michael Penix Jr. but to veteran Cooper Rush.

Tua essentially won the starting job by default while Penix works back from surgery on his knee, and he returns to Pittsburgh on Sunday for the first time since the December game with the Dolphins that got him benched and eventually released. He signed a one-year, $1.21 million deal with Atlanta; Miami still owes him $54 million minus whatever he earns elsewhere in 2026, which could factor into his decision on termination pay if a release comes.