Tua Tagovailoa makes his return to Miami on Friday night for the first time since he was released by the team back in March. Tua and the Atlanta Falcons (1-1) take on the Miami Dolphins (0-2) at Hard Rock Stadium in South Florida as part of Friday’s loaded NFL preseason Week 3 slate.
The Dolphins drafted Tua fifth overall in the 2020 NFL Draft in hopes that he’d become the team’s next great franchise quarterback. While he helped lead Miami to two playoff appearances and was named to the Pro Bowl in 2023 after leading the NFL in passing yards, injuries and a significant history of concussions limited him from reaching his full potential. The Dolphins ultimately decided it was time to move on after six years, and the Falcons then took a chance on him, signing him to a one-year veteran minimum contract to compete with third-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. for the starting job in 2026.
Penix suffered a torn ACL in the third quarter of the Falcons’ Week 11 game against Carolina last season and was just recently fully cleared, returning to practice earlier this week on Monday. While he’s good to go, head coach Kevin Stefanski has already confirmed that Penix will not play in the preseason finale and that Tua will make the start alongside other Atlanta starters. Tua didn’t play in last week’s win over Indianapolis and completed 3 of 5 passes for 22 yards during the first week of the preseason. However, even with the start Friday night, Stefanski has yet to officially name his Week 1 starter for the regular season.
The Dolphins haven’t officially announced whether their starters will play, but after being outscored 46-10 through their first two preseason games, head coach Jeff Hafley could opt to give quarterback Malik Willis and some of Miami’s other projected starters playing time to prepare for the regular season. However, the majority of Friday night’s game will focus heavily on players trying to make either team’s 53-man roster in their final live game audition before roster cuts take place.
Falcons vs. Dolphins Odds
As with all NFL preseason games, football betting markets are more limited compared to what’s available during the regular season and playoffs. However, there are still markets available for Friday night’s game, and the Falcons are listed as road favorites at Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook as Tua makes the start against his former team at his former home stadium:
Falcons vs. Dolphins Betting Splits
Here’s how the action is trending at Hard Rock Bet for Friday night’s Falcons vs. Dolphins game in Miami:
- The Falcons are receiving more moneyline support with 72.6% of bets and 68.6% of the handle.
- Atlanta is generating more action on the spread with 59.9% of bets and 50.6% of the handle.
- The Over accounts for 50.9% of bets and 55.4% of the handle on the total.
Falcons vs. Dolphins Game Info
- 📍 Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL
- 📅 Date: Friday, Aug. 28
- ⏰ Kickoff: 7:00 PM ET
- 📺💻 TV/Streaming: Check Local Networks
Referenced odds are subject to change.
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