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Tua Tagovailoa could be playing at the site of his most infamous triumph on Sundays

Maybe a return to Atlanta is exactly what Tagovailoa needs to get his career back on track
ByCorey Long|
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Jan 8, 2018; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (13) celebrates with the trophy after defeating the Georgia Bulldogs 26-23 in the 2018 CFP national championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images
Jan 8, 2018; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (13) celebrates with the trophy after defeating the Georgia Bulldogs 26-23 in the 2018 CFP national championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images | Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

Shortly after Tua Tagovailoa was released from the Miami Dolphins, he was linked to interest from the Atlanta Falcons. That could bring comfort to the former Crimson Tide All-American quarterback, because Mercedes-Benz Stadium was where Tagovailoa had his biggest moment as a football player.

Alabama football had many great moments under Nick Saban's leadership, but the 2018 CFP Championship Game against the Georgia Bulldogs always stands out because of how Tagovailoa came off the bench to become a legend in Tuscaloosa.

Tagovailoa had been the backup to Jalen Hurts for the 2017 season, putting together quality numbers, 636 passing yards and 11 touchdowns) in mostly mop-up duty, But with the Crimson Tide struggling to get anything going against the Bulldogs in the first half, Saban made one of the boldest calls of his career, benching Hurts, who was an All-SEC performer, for the five-star freshman phenom.

Tua Tagovailoa's return to Atlanta could be the perfect scenario

On the outside, it looked like Saban was just throwing something up against the wall to see what stuck, but in actuality, it was the opportunity Tagovailoa had been waiting all season for. Almost immediately, fans saw what made Tagovailoa an elite prospect. In the highest-pressure situation of the college football season, Tagovailoa showed composure in the huddle, composure in the pocket and the ability to push the ball down the field, which Alabama couldn't do with Hurts. 

As the second half went on, Tagovailoa got more and more comfortable and helped the Crimson Tide rally from two 13-point deficits to get the game to 20-20 and into overtime. After Georgia got a field goal on its possession, Alabama took over and Tagovailoa took a 16-yead sack on first down, but it was second down that created the legend — a picture-perfect pass to DeVonta Smith and a fifth championship for Saban.

Now there's a chance that Tagovaiola can return to the site of his greatest moment and revive his career by creating new ones for the Falcons.

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