Head coach Kevin Stefanski announced Wednesday that Tua Tagovailoa will start Friday's preseason opener against the Denver Broncos, with Cooper Rush entering after him and rookie Jack Strand finishing the game.
Sure it may only be a preseason game, but this is a big opportunity for Tagovailoa… The Falcons signed him this offseason to compete with Michael Penix Jr. for the starting job, and Friday will give the veteran his first chance to show what he can do.
Michael Penix Jr. won't play Friday, meaning this won't be the head to head quarterback evaluation the Atlanta Falcons ultimately want. But that doesn't make Tagovailoa's opportunity any less important.
Now Penix is still expected to be a major part of this competition once he receives full medical clearance. Atlanta's own training camp preview made it clear that the quarterback battle can't truly be evaluated until Penix can participate in the same aspects of practice as Tagovailoa.
But Tagovailoa doesn't have to wait for Penix to return to make an impression. He can start building his case now.
The Atlanta Falcons still aren't ready to name a starting quarterback
Stefanski has been careful not to declare a winner. So no, Tua isn't officially QB1. He has, however, been given the first opportunity to make a statement that'll make it easier to put the nail in the coffin.
The Atlanta Falcons brought in Tua Tagovailoa because they wanted some competition at QB while Michael Penix Jr. worked his way back in the first place. Now we are finally going to get to see how Tua is handling that competition and the pressure that comes with it.
Cooper Rush will get his opportunity after Tagovailoa, while Strand will close the game. Rush has plenty of NFL experience, having appeared in 42 games over eight seasons, including four games with two starts for the Baltimore Ravens last season.
But the biggest story remains Tua. The Falcons don't need him to win the quarterback competition on Friday. They need him to give Stefanski something to think about.
If Tagovailoa comes out and moves the offense efficiently and looks comfortable running the system, the pressure on Penix to match will make this battle even crazier. That's exactly the quarterback competition the Falcons want here.
For now, Penix's recovery means Atlanta can't conduct the full evaluation it wants. But Friday gives Tagovailoa a head start.
And if he takes advantage of it, the Falcons' quarterback battle could look very different by the time Penix is finally cleared to compete.
Add us as a preferred source on Google