It has been no secret that Tua Tagovailoa was one of the worst quarterbacks during his final year with the Miami Dolphins. After some electrifying seasons, everything went downhill for the 28-year-old.
However, there were also extenuating circumstances that put Tua in a no-win situation. Mike McDaniel's offense had run its course, and the team's top targets struggled to stay healthy.
That is why there is cautious optimism in Atlanta that the left-handed quarterback can return to his old form under the guidance of Kevin Stefanski. And, if he does, then he is the no-doubt winner of the prestigious AP Comeback Player of the Year award.
Atlanta Falcons have their first Comeback Player of the Year winner sitting right in their lap
Bleacher Report's Alex Kay put out his dark horse predictions to win each of the major awards, with Tagovailoa headlining Comeback Player of the Year. Of course, they point to his health and cast of talent as the main reasons to believe he will hold the trophy in February.
"Tua Tagovailoa's career has been pockmarked by injury, but the polarizing signal-caller could finally find consistent success—and health—now that he's with the Atlanta Falcons," Kay wrote. "If Tagovailoa seizes the QB1 role, he'll have the elite supporting cast—led by first-round skill position stars in Drake London, Kyle Pitts and Bijan Robinson—needed to re-emerge as one of the NFL's top passers."
The Comeback Player of the Year award is among the most notable trophies handed out in the NFL world each year. In years past, it has gone to elite players like Christian McCaffrey, Joe Burrow, Rob Gronkowski, Peyton Manning, Matthew Stafford, Michael Vick, and Tom Brady.
Having your name etched near the likes of those guys is something you will never forget. And maybe it will be Tagovailoa's honor next. It makes too much sense not to happen. He is competing with a rehabbing Michael Penix Jr., giving himself a leg up in the road to being the Week 1 starter, even if the coaches say the competition has started (do we really believe that?).
This is a guy who has run the gamut of finishing as the NFL's leader in major statistics. He was the passer rating leader in 2022, the passing yards leader in 2023, and the completion percentage leader in 2024. Just imagine if he can put all, or even two, of those things together in 2026 -- he has more than enough talent around him to do so. And if he does, he would become the franchise's first CPOY.
Unfortunately, he has no shortage of competition. The rash of major injuries last year is a steep hill to climb. Patrick Mahomes, Jayden Daniels, Micah Parsons, Malik Nabers, Fred Warner, Nick Bosa, and countless others will receive attention before the Falcons' potential starting QB, but playing the most important position in sports and breaking the playoff drought would give Tua Tagovailoa a leg up.
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