Jack White criticizes the 'Taylor Swift way' of songwriting — and 13 other rockers who have weighed in on the pop star's artistry

Jack Whitemay have battled a "Seven Nation Army," but does he know the power of overprotective Swifties?

Entertainment Weekly Jack White in 2025 and Taylor Swift in 2024Credit: Gilbert Flores/Billboard via Getty; Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

The Detroit rocker seemingly took a shot atTaylor Swiftwhile talking about the nuances of his songwriting in a new interview withThe Guardian. Asked if his songs are "entirely autobiographical," White replied, "not too much," and explained why.

"Now, it's become very popular in the Taylor Swift way of pop singers writing about all of their publicly aired break-ups, which I don't find interesting at all," admitted White, who has fronted several bands including the White Stripes, Raconteurs, and Dead Weather.

"I think it's a little bit boring for me to write about myself," he continued. "Even if I've had a really interesting day, I feel like I've already lived that, I don't need to go through it every time I sing this song. If it's something really painful, I'm not going to put this important, painful thing that I went through out there for some idiot on the internet to stomp all over."

Swift has yet to publicly acknowledge White's remark — but she has spoken up to defend herself in the past. Read about the memorable moment with Blur's Damon Albarn below, as well as the 12 other rockers who have discussed the Grammy winner's unique artistry.

Taylor Swift performs during the Eras Tour in Cardiff, Wales, in 2024Credit: Shirlaine Forrest/TAS24/Getty

Damon Albarn

In 2022, the British singer was asked his thoughts on modern chart-toppers by theLos Angeles Times. As for Swift, he declared, "She doesn't write her own songs."LAT's tweet with Albarn's quote quickly went viral, making its way to the pop star herself.

"I was such a big fan of yours until I saw this," Swiftreplied on X. "I write ALL of my own songs. Your hot take is completely false and SO damaging. You don't have to like my songs but it's really f---ed up to try and discredit my writing. WOW."

Albarn swiftlyapologized"unreservedly and unconditionally. The last thing I would want to do is discredit your songwriting."

Liam Gallagher

Another Brit rocker also came to Swift's defense against Albarn.

"Did he not get ran out of f-- -ing town by the Swifters?" the Oasis singer joked toNME. "I think [Taylor's] f---ing cool, man. She does write her songs and I'm sure she's co-wrote with people."

Courtney Love

The Hole frontwoman has never been one to keep her thoughts to herself. In a 2024 interview with theEvening Standard, she was critiquing female pop stars, including Beyonce and Lana Del Rey, when she decided, "Taylor is not important. She might be a safe space for girls, and she's probably the Madonna of now, but she's not interesting as an artist."

Billy Corgan

Love's very ownCelebrity Skinco-writer, Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins, has a differing opinion. In the wake of complaints over the length of Swift's 31-songThe Tortured Poet's Department: The Anthology, Corgan questioned the criticism.

"Taylor Swift is one of the most gifted pop artists of all time," Corgan told theIrish Times. "How is it a bad thing that she's releasing more music? I can't follow that... You can go on Spotify and just skip it."

Stevie Nicks first praised Taylor Swift's music in 2010Credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage

Stevie Nicks

The Fleetwood Mac singer has long admired Swift, dating back to 2010 when Nickspraisedher songwriting and compared it to icons Elton John and Neil Diamond. Thirteen years later, when her bandmate Christine McVie passed away, it was a track from Swift's discography that helped Nicks through her grief.

"Thank you to Taylor Swift for doing a favor for me, and that is, writing a song called 'You're on Your Own, Kid,'" the "Landslide" singersaidduring a concert in Atlanta in May 2023. "That is the sadness of how I feel."

Paul McCartney shared the November 2020 cover of Rolling Stone with Taylor SwiftCredit: Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty

Paul McCartney

The Beatles singer-songwriter has such an admiration for Swift, she inspired him to write "Who Cares," a 2018 song based on her "sisterly" relationship with Swifties.

Advertisement

The lyrics, McCartney told theBBC, are meant to encourage people to ignore their bullies: "And I was imagining talking to one of these young fans and saying, 'Have you ever been bullied? Do you get bullied?' Then I say, 'Who cares about the idiots? Who cares about all this? Who cares about you? Well… I do."

McCartney's fellow Beatle echoed a similar sentiment in an interview withEsquire. Speaking on the state of music, the drummer mused, "There's a lot of good bands out there, but nobody's doing anything... Taylor Swift is the only one who's doing well. She likes to play by herself. I love her."

Neil Tennant

The Pet Shop Boys frontman paid Swift a backhanded compliment in 2024 while speaking on a music panel forThe Guardian.

"Taylor Swift sort of fascinates me as a phenomenon because she's so popular, and I sort of quite like the whole thing," began Tennant. "But then when I listen to the records… for a phenomenon as big, where are the famous songs? What's Taylor Swift's 'Billie Jean'?"

Paul Stanley

The Eras Tour was attended by an estimated 10 million people — including KISS legend Paul Stanley, who brought his whole family to see Swift at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles in August 2023. "PHENOMENAL SHOW BY A PHENOMENAL ARTIST," Stanleytweeted, along with a photo of himself (sans KISS makeup) rocking an Eras Tour T-shirt.

Billie Eilish performing onstage in New York City in 2024Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty

Billie Eilish

Don't expect the "Birds of a Feather" singer to perform a three-hour concert like the Eras Tour any time soon.

"That's literally psychotic," Eilish candidly told fans during a2024 Stationheaddiscussion. "Nobody wants that. You guys don't want that. I don't want that. I don't even want that as a fan. My favorite artist in the world, I'm not trying to hear them for three hours."

Eddie Vedder is such a Taylor Swift fan, he covered one of her songs in 2024Credit: Jim Bennett/Getty

Eddie Vedder

The Pearl Jam singer was introduced to Taylor's music by his Swiftie daughters Olivia, 21, and Harper, 17, and he's especially in awe of her 12-album discography.

"She's incredibly prolific," Vedder toldBill Simmonsin 2024. "So she's able to just keep putting out music and putting out music."

The rocker's favorite song, he teased, is a deep cut "that I just think is incredible." He wouldn't reveal which one, but months later, Vedder and Harper performed acoverof "Best Day" at the Ohana Fest.

Bruce Springsteen

One of Swift's early A-list supporters was "The Boss," who noticed that fans were able to connect to her music because "she's speaking to a large part of them very personally," Springsteen toldVarietyin 2017. "As far as craft, [her songs are] really, really well-built and well-made; they're very, very sturdy, and the records are too."

John Mayer dated Taylor Swift for three months in late 2009Credit: Christopher Polk for EW

"Dear John," Swift's 2010 track offSpeak Nowwas a big hit with fans — but not with the ex who inspired it.

Mayer, who dated the 19-year-old pop star for three months, toldRolling Stonehe was "humiliated" by the lyrics, which hinted at "dark twisted games" he played during their brief relationship.

"It made me feel terrible," Mayer confessed. "Because I didn't deserve it. I'm pretty good at taking accountability now, and I never did anything to deserve that. It was a really lousy thing for her to do."

Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with ourEW Dispatch newsletter.

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

Jack White criticizes the 'Taylor Swift way' of songwriting — and 13 other rockers who have weighed in on the pop star's artistry

Jack Whitemay have battled a "Seven Nation Army," but does he know the power of overprotective Swifties? ...
Quentin Tarantino rips Rosanna Arquette for criticizing his use of N-word in films: 'A decided lack of class'

Quentin Tarantino has responded to Rosanna Arquette after she critiqued his use of the N-word in his films.

Entertainment Weekly Quentin Tarantino on the set of 'Pulp Fiction' in 1994Credit: Miramax Films/Everett

Key Points

  • "Dear Rosanna, I hope the publicity you're getting...was worth disrespecting me," he said in a statement shared with EW.

  • Arquette previously kicked off the tiff by stating that she would not call his use of the racial epithet "art," but "racist and creepy."

Quentin Tarantinohas found himself in another spat with an actor, and he's not trying to lower the heat.

This time it'sRosanna Arquette, who appeared in his classic 1994 crime dramedyPulp Fiction. The actress recently assessed the Cannes winner as a "great film on a lot of levels," buttook issue withTarantino's employment there and elsewhere of the N-word. "It's not art," she reasoned. "It's just racist and creepy."

Tarantino hit back hard on Monday in a statement his publicists shared withEntertainment Weekly.

"Dear Rosanna, I hope the publicity you're getting from 132 different media outlets writing your name and printing your picture was worth disrespecting me and a film I remember quite clearly you were thrilled to be a part of?" he wrote. "Do you feel this way now? Very possibly."

Rosanna Arquette in 'Pulp Fiction'Credit: Miramax/ Everett

Tarantino then claimed that after he "gave you a job, and you took the money, to trash it for what I suspect is verycynicalreasons, shows a decided lack of class, no less honor."

"There is supposed to be anesprit de corpsbetween artistic colleagues," he said. "But it would appear the objective was accomplished.  Congratulations, Q."

Advertisement

Entertainment Weeklyhas reached out to representatives for Arquette for comment.

Arquette still judgesPulp Fictionas "iconic, a great film on a lot of levels... But personally I am over the use of the N-word — I hate it," she noted in her original interview with U.K. outletThe Times. She added that she "cannot stand" that Tarantino has, in her view, "has been given a hall pass" with respect to the use of the word.

This is far from the first time Tarantino has been criticized for his use of the racial slur in his films. Those who criticize the amount of violence in his films or their liberal use of the N-word should "see something else," he suggested to CNN's Chris Wallace.

In response,The ButlerandThe Paperboydirector Lee Daniels, who is Black, remarked, "Quentin, that's not the right answer... 10 years ago, or 15 years ago, I would have checked it off as artistic." But now, he says the harsh pejorative is "our word. That's my word, and you have no right to say that, and you have no right to feel that way."

Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with ourEW Dispatch newsletter.

Tarantinofound himself in hot waterwith several other actors in December, when on a podcast he called Paul Dano a "weak, uninteresting guy," and said he didn't care for Owen Wilson or Matthew Lillard. Both Lillard and Dano responded, with theScooby Doostarlikening the experienceof being dragged by Tarantino and then supported by his peers to "living through your own wake."

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

Quentin Tarantino rips Rosanna Arquette for criticizing his use of N-word in films: 'A decided lack of class'

Quentin Tarantino has responded to Rosanna Arquette after she critiqued his use of the N-word in his films. Key...
savannah guthrie

Savannah Guthrie's return to the "Today" show caught everyone's attention a few days ago. While it seemed her colleagues were standing in her support, sources shed light on the brutal reality. For those unversed, the broadcast journalist's mother, Nancy Guthrie, went missing at the beginning of February.

Since then, Savannah has been busy with her siblings in finding her mom, seeking help through social media. Last week, shereturnedto the news studio and was captured having an emotional reunion with the staff.

Brutal reality behind Savannah Guthrie's 'Today' show return revealed by sources

Savannah Guthrie's video of her returning to the "Today" show studio went viral. In it, she was hugging her colleagues, who appeared to be teary-eyed. They reportedly showed their support to the co-anchor of the NBC morning show after her mother, Nancy Guthrie, went missing last month. During the difficult time, it looked like the 54-year-old's fellow staff members were rooting for her.

However, sources told theDaily Mailabout the brutal reality behind her return to the news studio. "You think 'The Morning Show' is bad? That's nothing. These people will steal your chair while you're still sitting in it," an insider claimed. They highlighted that nobody should allegedly be trusted in the news station, including "hair and makeup people to the producers."

Advertisement

Furthermore, the outlet revealed that the rising broadcasters at the station were allegedly hoping for good news for them when NBC bosses "held a production meeting." But the higher-ups reportedly announced Savannah's return and asked the staff to pray for her and her family.

Earlier, a spokesperson for "Today" toldPEOPLEabout the journalist's arrival at the studio. "Savannah Guthrie stopped by the studio this morning to be with and thank her Today colleagues," they stated. Furthermore, they mentioned that the date of Savannah's return to work had not been announced yet.

For now, she would likely be with her family and help with the investigation of her mother.

The postSavannah Guthrie's 'Today' Show Return Wasn't What It Seemed — Sourceappeared first onReality Tea.

Savannah Guthrie’s ‘Today’ Show Return Wasn’t What It Seemed — Source

Savannah Guthrie's return to the "Today" show caught everyone's attention a few days ago. While it seemed her colleagues ...
US allies and rivals in Asia gauge fallout from war in the Middle East

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — As war spreads across the Middle East, U.S. rivals and allies in Asia are preparing for the consequences, which include possible economic shock and long-term security threats.

Associated Press

Here's a look at how the fighting in the Middle East is impacting the Koreas, Japan and China.

North Korea

At a major political conference last month, North Korean leaderKim Jong Uninsisted the country's decades-long pursuit of nuclear weapons was the "correct" choice, despite crippling isolation and scarce resources.

The U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran will only reinforce that belief.

North Korea's leadership likely watched uneasily as the strikes killed Iran's supreme leader. The attack followed a U.S. operation in January that captured Venezuelan PresidentNicolás Maduro.

Pyongyang's Foreign Ministry has condemned the attacks on Iran as illegal and a "most despicable" violation of sovereignty. Notably, it didn't mention the death ofAyatollah Ali Khamenei.

Similar strikes to take out North Korea's leadership would be far riskier and less likely to succeed, said Hong Min, an analyst at South Korea's Institute for National Unification.

Unlike Iran, North Korea has followed through on its nuclear ambitions. Its expansive arsenal contains dozens of warheads, with a range of delivery systems threatening Asian U.S. allies andintercontinental ballistic missilespotentially capable of reaching the U.S. mainland. It would be difficult to eliminate North Korea's capabilities in a single wave of preemptive strikes, and would leave open the possibility that surviving systems could be used toattack targets in South Korea,Japan or even America.

In his first public appearance since the war began, Kim last week inspected sea trials of his prized new warship and tests of what state media callednuclear-capable cruise missiles. Some analysts say the display may have been meant to showcase his military capabilities after the killing of Khamenei and the U.S. sinking of Iranian naval assets — signaling that, unlike Iran, his ships could carry nuclear warheads.

Attacking North Korea would also be complicated by its geographic proximity to China andRussia— Washington's most significant rivals — with whom Kim has been deepening ties as he seeks a more assertive presence in the region.

The U.S. military actions on Iran and Venezuela both came despite active negotiations. Analysts have differing views on how that might affect North Korea's desire for diplomacy with the United States, whichderailed in 2019following the collapse of a summit between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump.

At February's ruling party congress, Kimleft the door open to dialoguewith the United States, reiterating Pyongyang's earlier calls that Washington drop its demands for the North's denuclearization as a precondition for reviving talks.

Hong said that while Kim is likely to maintain that position, the attack on Iran may have deepened his distrust of Washington and the leader could raise the bar for negotiations.

But Park Won Gon, a professor at Seoul's Ewha Womans University, said Kim could feel greater urgency to seek a deal with Trump, viewing their unresolved diplomacy as a risk.

South Korean officials have suggested that Trump's expected visit to China in late March or April may provide a possible opening with Pyongyang.

Advertisement

South Korea

South Korea, heavily dependent on trade and imported fuel, is alarmed by Iran's attacks on energy infrastructure and attempts to close the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughlya fifth of global oil trade flows.

The war is also heightening unease in Seoul about itsalliance with the United States. The Trump administration has shown a willingness to act militarily without broad coordination with allies.

The United States for decades has pledged full military — including nuclear — protection for its allies and stations about 28,000 troops in South Korea to deter North Korea. While a major reduction in that commitment is unlikely, Seoul must now consider the risk of being drawn into potential conflicts triggered by unilateral U.S. action, including beyond the Korean Peninsula, Hong said.

"Whether it's Taiwan, North Korea or the U.S.-China competition, there have long been concerns in South Korea that the Trump administration could make overly aggressive decisions without fully considering the potentially serious consequences for its allies," said Hong. "Those concerns are now significant."

South Korea must "clearly define the actions it could take" under different scenarios, he said.

Japan

Japan, another key U.S. ally in Asia, is also wary of Trump's aggressive military actions and worried about any disruption to the Strait of Hormuz.

While Tokyo has backed U.S. efforts to curb Iran's nuclear development, the war has raised questions about its legitimacy and caused skepticism about Washington's credibility as an ally, said Mitsuru Fukuda, a professor at Nihon University.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichiand other senior officials have voiced strong support for U.S.-Iran negotiations but stopped short of endorsing the U.S.-Israeli strikes. Tokyo has shown no interest in military involvement, but some experts believe the conflict could bolster Takaichi's push for a stronger military and expanded weapons sales.

U.S. nuclear deterrence remains crucial to Japan's security amid worry about an increasingly assertive China and North Korea. Although global turmoil, including Russia's war in Ukraine, has revived debate over Japan acquiring nuclear weapons, domestic support remains low because of legal and political constraints.

China

China could see the Iran war as an opportunity to carve out a more assertive role in the Middle East by styling itself as a more reliable power broker than the United States, said Seo Chang-bae, a professor at Busan's Pukyung National University.

Beijing may view the U.S. military actions in Venezuela and Iran — both major oil suppliers to China — as partly intended to counter China, experts say.

While steadily expanding trade and technology ties with Gulf states, China has sought to position itself as a regional counterweight, most notably bybrokering a 2023 agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabiato normalize relations. It's part of a broader push to strengthen its global influence and challenge dollar-based financial orders.

Although Beijing may pursue geopolitical "spillover gains," a prolonged conflict would harm China's trade interests, Seo said. China could also study U.S. warfare capabilities and accelerate the integration ofartificial intelligenceinto its military, he said.

AP writer Mari Yamaguchi contributed from Tokyo.

US allies and rivals in Asia gauge fallout from war in the Middle East

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — As war spreads across the Middle East, U.S. rivals and allies in Asia are preparing for the con...
Northern Arizona University student died of alcohol poisoning following rush event, autopsy says

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — A Northern Arizona University student who drank an excessive amount of vodka at afraternity houseparty died of alcohol poisoning, an autopsy released Monday shows.

Associated Press

Colin Daniel Martinez, 18, was found unresponsive Jan. 31 and couldn't be resuscitated, the report said. His blood-alcohol level was 0.425% — more than five times the state's legal limit for driving and an amount generally considered to be fatal.

Three leaders from the Delta Tau Delta fraternity face charges in Martinez's death.

Advertisement

The Coconino County Attorney's Office said Monday that it is reviewing the case to determine whether formal charges are appropriate against the three leaders, who were 20 at the time. The three were arrested on suspicion of hazing.

Martinez was among four people who were candidates for the fraternity and shared two bottles of vodka to ensure they vomited, according to court documents released last month. Some witnesses said the bottles might have been diluted with water.

Witnesses reported readjusting his sleeping position, checking his pulse and breathing, and looking up symptoms of alcohol poisoning throughout the night, the documents said.

After Martinez died, the university suspended the fraternity. The national organization later voted to shutter the NAU chapter.

Northern Arizona University student died of alcohol poisoning following rush event, autopsy says

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — A Northern Arizona University student who drank an excessive amount of vodka at afraternity house...
Video appears to show U.S. Tomahawk missile hitting the area of the deadly school strike in Iran

Newly surfaced video adds toevidence that the United States likely struck a school in Iran, killing more than 170 people, including scores of children.

NBC Universal

The video, geolocated by NBC News, shows what experts say appears to be an American Tomahawk missile hitting a compound belonging to Iran'sIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corpsnext to theShajareh Tayyebeh elementary schoolwhere witnesses said children were trapped under the rubble and "people were pulling out children's arms and legs. People were pulling out severed heads."

NBC News has tried to contact the person who shot the video for further comment about the strikes, which the individual recorded Feb. 28 in the southern town of Minab. The person has not responded.

Published Sunday by Iran's semiofficial Mehr News Agency, the video was first geolocated by theonline research group Bellingcat, which said a Tomahawk — an American-made, long-range cruise missile — was used in the attack near a compound that was once home to a Revolutionary Guard military facility.

Several munitions experts agreed with that analysis, including N.R. Jenzen-Jones, the director of arms intelligence firm Armament Research Services.

The video "appears to show a Tomahawk missile," he said in an email Sunday. "This would indicate a U.S. strike," he said, adding that the U.S. was the only party in the war known to have Tomahawk missiles.

Screenshots from video showing the strike on Shajareh Tayyebeh elementary school and an adjacent Revolutionary Guard compound in Minab, Iran.

Jeffrey Lewis, the director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, California, also said in an interview Monday that he thought "the munition that is visible in that video is clearly a Tomahawk."

"It's long, cylindrical. It has a set of wings. And really no other country in this conflict has a munition that looks like that," he said. He added that it was "incredibly accurate" because it had digital scene matching built in. There will be "an onboard photograph of the thing that it's supposed to hit, and Tomahawk will look, it will match, and then it will strike," he said.

It is "rare that a Tomahawk misfires" but the U.S. does "have a history" of making targeting errors, retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Daniel Davis, a Bronze Star winner who served for 21 years, said Monday. "Everybody does."

"If you just have a satellite image, it's just a building and so if you misidentify what's in the building because of other intelligence, then that can lead to improper targeting," added Davis, now a senior fellow and military expert at Defense Priorities, a Washington-based think tank.

Advertisement

Aftermath of an Israel strike on a school in Minab (Abbas Zakeri / Mehr News via Reuters)

The Pentagon has said it is still investigating the strike, while the Israeli military has maintained it is not aware of any connection between its operations in Iran and the school strike.

Trump on Saturday, told reporters onboard Air Force One that the U.S. was not responsible for the bombing, saying: "In my opinion, based on what I've seen, that was done by Iran."

U.S. Central Command did not comment on the latest video. The White House did not immediately respond to NBC News' request for comment.

Aftermath of an Israel strike on a school in Minab (Abbas Zakeri/Mehr News/WANA / via Reuters)

But the Defense Department has acknowledged the use of Tomahawk missiles in the war. On the day of the strike on the school, the Defense Visual Information Distribution Servicepublished a photo and video onlineof the USS Spruance, firing a Tomahawk land attack missile. It published a similar picture March 3.

The Spruance, an Arleigh Burke-class Aegis guided-missile destroyer, is part of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier group.

Iranian officials said that more than 170 people, mostly children, were killed in the strike near the school. NBC News has not been able to independently verify the death toll of the attack.

The attack came hours after the U.S. and Israel launched multiple air and missile strikes on Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, sparking retaliatory attacks by the Islamic Republic on many of its Middle Eastern neighbors including Saudi Arabia, Jordan and several Gulf states.

Trump administration officials told members of Congress in a closed-door meeting last week that the U.S. had been targeting the area where the school was struck, two U.S. officials told NBC News last week. The administration officials also said their military partner, Israel, was not responsible for the school's bombing.

Iran (Iranian Foreign Media Departmen / via AP)

And a map published online by the Defense Department highlighting strikes on Iran over the first 100 hours of the military operation appeared to show that the area of Minab had been targeted.

"It is increasingly clear that the U.S. military was responsible for the deadly attack," Kenneth Roth, the former executive director of Human Rights Watch, said in a text message Monday, adding that it was "hit by a precision weapon, not an errant attack."

If an error was made, he said, it raises "urgent questions regarding why U.S. intelligence was so shoddy that it treated the school as no different from the adjacent military facility."

Video appears to show U.S. Tomahawk missile hitting the area of the deadly school strike in Iran

Newly surfaced video adds toevidence that the United States likely struck a school in Iran, killing more than 170 people,...
Tua Tagovailoa, Falcons agree to one-year deal

Tua Tagovailoalanded on his feet quickly after being released by the Miami Dolphins.

USA TODAY Sports

Tagovailoa has agreed to a one-year contract to join theAtlanta Falconsin 2026 NFL free agency, according toreports. He is signing the veteran minimum which will be $1.3 million for 2026.

The deal cannot be finalized until Tagovailoa is released Wednesday.

The Falcons entered the 2026 NFL offseason in need of a veteran quarterback behind 2024 first-round pickMichael Penix Jr.after parting withKirk Cousins. Tagovailoa will fill that need, and the 28-year-old left profiles as a good fit for Kevin Stefanski's offense.

<p style=OT Tytus Howard: Traded to Cleveland Browns (previous team: Houston Texans)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=CB Trent McDuffie: Traded to Los Angeles Rams (previous team: Kansas City Chiefs)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=RB David Montgomery: Traded to Houston Texans (previous team: Detroit Lions)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=WR DJ Moore: Traded to Buffalo Bills (previous team: Chicago Bears)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

2026 NFL offseason tracker: Player signings, trades

OT Tytus Howard:Traded to Cleveland Browns(previous team: Houston Texans)

Tagovailoa is coming off his first losing season as an NFL starting quarterback. The 2020 first-round pick posted a 6-8 record across 14 starts while completing 67.7% of his passes for 2,660 yards, 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions – good for second-most in the league behind only Geno Smith (17).

The Dolphins benched Tagovailoa in favor of rookieQuinn Ewersfor the final three games of the 2025 NFL season, throwing his future with the team into question.

Advertisement

Days before free agency, Miami officially announced it would be releasing Tagovailoa – and absorbing an NFL-record $99.2 million in dead-cap space to do so – at the start of the new league year.

The Falcons will be hoping Tagovailoa – who made the Pro Bowl in 2023 – can enjoy a bounce-back season with a change of scenery.

Falcons QB depth chart

It isn't yet clear whether Tagovailoa will battle Penix for the team's starting job or just serve as high-upside insurance in case the third-year pro needs extra time to return from a torn ACL he suffered midway through last season.

Here's how things will look when Tagovailoa officially signs on Wednesday:

  • Michael Penix Jr. (injured)

  • Tua Tagovailoa

Easton Stick– the third quarterback on the Falcons' roster in 2025 behind Penix Jr. and Cousins – is a free agent.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Tua Tagovailoa signs: Falcons to sign QB to deal in NFL free agency

Tua Tagovailoa, Falcons agree to one-year deal

Tua Tagovailoalanded on his feet quickly after being released by the Miami Dolphins. Tagovailoa has agreed to ...

 

ERIUS MAG © 2015 | Distributed By My Blogger Themes | Designed By Templateism.com