‘No Way,’ ‘Might Have To Be Released For That One’ — NFL World Clowns Tua Tagovailoa After Game-Losing ‘Meatball Sub’ Sinks Falcons in OT

Tua Tagovailoa’s first appearance for the Atlanta Falcons ended with the ball in Kyle Hamilton’s hands and the internet reaching for its best material.

Atlanta needed its backup quarterback to rescue a difficult night. One overtime interception later, Tagovailoa was catching jokes about everything from sandwiches to his continued employment.

Tagovailoa replaced Michael Penix Jr. after the starter suffered a rib injury late in regulation. With Atlanta trailing in overtime, Hamilton intercepted Tagovailoa to seal the Baltimore Ravens’ 30–23 victory Sunday night as the Falcons fell to 2–3.

It was an abrupt introduction to his new team. Tagovailoa completed his first two passes for 34 yards, then watched his third attempt end the game. There would be no next possession to clean it up.

“Stop, Tua, no way 😂💀💀,” Annie Agar wrote in the aftermath.

Hayden Winks delivered his verdict with an opening word that did very little to soften what followed.

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“Respectfully, Tua might have to be released for that one,” Winks wrote.

Atlanta entered the night with some momentum after a win over the New Orleans Saints. Penix’s play had helped generate optimism about the offense, making an ending with the starter injured and his replacement intercepted especially deflating.

Baltimore also made Tagovailoa’s assignment uncomfortable. The Ravens opened overtime with a 14-play touchdown drive that consumed 7:03 and forced Atlanta to use both timeouts.

By the time the Falcons got possession, they needed a touchdown with fewer than three minutes remaining.

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Clarence Hill Jr. gave the interception the food comparison that Falcons fans probably will not want to hear again anytime soon.

“Tua with a meatball sub,” Hill wrote.

“TUA TURNTHEBALLOVER!!!!” a Ravens podcast host added.

The RedditCFB account reached further back for its joke, bringing a painful college football memory into an already miserable ending for Atlanta. “Tua Tagovailoa: coming in as a backup and shattering the hearts of Georgians for nearly a decade,” the account wrote.

The reference goes back to January 2018, when Tagovailoa replaced Jalen Hurts and helped Alabama beat Georgia in the national championship game. His 41-yard overtime touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith finished that comeback at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the same building where Sunday’s interception ended Atlanta’s hopes.

That is a particularly cruel callback for anyone whose football weekends revolve around the Bulldogs and Falcons.

Nearly nine years later, Tagovailoa came off the bench, overtime arrived, and another Georgia crowd went home unhappy.

This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.