The Pittsburgh Steelers need help at the quarterback position, but fans are already thankful they didn't throw their hat in the ring for Tua Tagovailoa in free agency. Free agency proved to be a mad rush that included one major signing and an unexpected Steelers trade in the opening hours of the NFL's negotiation period.
In the chaos, ESPN insider Adam Schefter reported that the Atlanta Falcons plan to sign Tagovailoa to a one-year contract. This was an expected move after Schefter reported earlier in the day that the Falcons were expected to be in hot pursuit of the former Miami Dolphins quarterback.
Now, Tua has a chance to revive his fallen career in a new organization with young weapons at his disposal. Finding the next Sam Darnold in free agency is the ultimate prize, but Steelers fans won't be disappointed that the team didn't go after this polarizing quarterback.
The Pittsburgh Steelers dodged a disaster by not signing QB Tua Tagovailoa
As far as we know, there wasn't any credible reported interest between the Steelers and Tagovailoa leading up to free agency. And for the sake of both parties, it was better that way.
Tua, a left-handed quarterback not known for his arm strength, gets to play in a dome setting at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with a dome rival (the New Orleans Saints) on the schedule twice for 2026. In contrast, Tua's arm would have been less than ideal in Pittsburgh—especially when trying to cut through the wind and cold late in the season.
But that's only one reason why Steelers fans should be thankful the team didn't sign the polarizing quarterback. Quite frankly, Tagovailoa simply hasn't been good enough.
Over the past two seasons with the Dolphins, Tua has combined to lead his team to a 12-13 record while throwing for 39 touchdowns and 22 interceptions. In 14 games last season, Tua saw career-low numbers in success rate (46.4 percent), adjusted yards per attempt (6.21), and QBR 37.5. Tua's 88.5 passer rating in 2025 was also his lowest mark since his rookie season.
Tua has fallen hard from his Pro Bowl season in 2023. At 28 years old, there is plenty of time for the veteran quarterback to turn his career around. But time isn't the problem; it's the lack of traits.
At 6'0'' and 217 pounds with pedestrian arm strength and below-average mobility, there isn't much about Tua's skill set that gets fans excited. On top of this, Tagovailoa has a history riddled with concussions, and he has played a full season just once in his first six years in the NFL.
Even at a discount price tag on a one-year 'prove it' contract, this would have been a bad gamble for the Pittsburgh Steelers that only would have kept the franchise in limbo for another season. The Steelers did the right thing by staying far away from Tua Tagovailoa in free agency.