Tua Tagovailoa’s next chapter in the NFL isn’t going well at all, so much so that the Atlanta Falcons may have to rush Michael Penix Jr. back faster than they hoped.
When Tagovailoa joined the Falcons after being released by the Miami Dolphins ahead of this season, the team reportedly hoped he would play well enough in new head coach Kevin Stefanski’s offense that it would be comfortable starting the season with the veteran left-hander while Penix, coming off an ACL injury, had more time to recover.
However, ESPN/NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport is reporting that the Falcons’ starting job is for Penix to lose at this point following Tagovailoa’s inconsistent play in training camp and the first preseason game.
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Tua Tagovailoa of the Atlanta Falcons looks on during a joint practice with the Indianapolis Colts at Grand Park Sports Campus on Aug. 19, 2026, in Westfield, Ind. (Getty Images)
“It really seemed that the goal of the entire organization was to have Tua be the starting quarterback right away to start the season,” Rapoport said. “Let Michael Penix come along slow. …Really you’d like him to be inactive for the first several games and really just take his time and make sure he’s fully healthy.”
Tagovailoa has not set himself apart from the pack in terms of performance at camp, and he went 3-of-5 for 22 yards in the first preseason game against the Denver Broncos before Stefanski moved on to Jack Strand and Cooper Rush at quarterback for the rest of the contest.
“Tua’s play made that impossible, not just in the preseason game, which we’ve seen, but it sounds like practice as well. All of which is to say, this is Michael Penix’s job for the taking,” Rapoport continued.
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Tua Tagovailoa of the Atlanta Falcons warms up before the NFL preseason game against the Denver Broncos at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga., on Aug. 14, 2026. (Getty Images)
In an ideal world, the Falcons hoped a fresh start for Tagovailoa would’ve been just what he needed for a heated training camp competition for the team’s starting job. Instead, with Penix getting back into the fold this week and splitting first-team reps, it appears they’re now hoping he can feel confident and, more importantly, be healthy enough to face the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1.
“Everything we do around this building is competing,” Stefanski said. “I know it’s easy to say, ‘position battles,’ and those types of things, but we’re constantly competing. That’s not the focus for our guys. Our guys are pushing each other by showing up and putting in the work.”
Then again, perhaps Tagovailoa’s play in the final preseason game against his former Dolphins squad can boost his confidence and chances at the starting job this Friday.
Dec 8, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) warms up before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. (Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images)
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It’s not looking too good for him now, though, as Stefanski and his staff have an important decision to make before that Sept. 13 kickoff on the road in Pittsburgh.
