The Atlanta Falcons were the last team in the NFL to name a starting quarterback. Kevin Stefanski put off that decision for as long as he possibly could, but given the Falcons are headed to Pittsburgh on Sunday, he finally had to decide--and the wait is over for one of the NFL's most intriguing QB battles.
The Falcons were deciding between Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr., but Stefanski ultimately decided on starting the veteran in the season opener. Given Penix's health, this seemed like the obvious conclusion, but after such a long wait, it's frankly just nice to have some official confirmation.
Sources: Tua Tagovailoa has been named the Falcons’ starting quarterback for next Sunday’s regular-season opener in Pittsburgh vs. the Steelers. pic.twitter.com/Ak3RKFF5dH
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 7, 2026
Tua Tagovailoa entered training camp with a sizable lead in this competition because his competition took four weeks to be cleared for full contact. And after signing a one-year deal worth the league minimum to join Atlanta this offseason--and he'll get the first crack at turning his career around despite having a rough summer.
Tua Tagovailoa will be the Atlanta Falcons' Week 1 starting quarterback
The Falcons' quarterback decision ultimately came down to external factors, as Stefanski revealed to the media that Penix is not physically ready to play. He was only cleared on Aug. 22, and a little over two weeks of 11-on-11 reps was not enough for the team to feel comfortable starting the former top-10 pick Week 1.
Stefanski also said that Penix will be a gameday inactive (but not a healthy scratch) so they can continue their cautious approach to his recovery--which means Cooper Rush will back up the 28-year-old in Pittsburgh. So they better pray to god that Tua is able to stay healthy until Penix returns.
We don't know how long all of this will last. Kevin Stefanski didn't commit to anything beyond Week 1, and it remains to be seen how much time the Falcons will give Michael Penix Jr. on the bench. For all we know if Tagovailoa is that much of a disaster, they may be forced to start him in the home opener. But a more realistic target date would be around Week 4 or 5--but it all depends on how Tua plays.
Eveything said and done by the Falcons this offseason indicated they never believed the 26-year-old would be ready for Week 11--but signing Tua Tagovailoa is why they don't need him to be. He can be insurance until he's ready to return, and once he is, Atlanta can turn back to him to evaluate his future.
The only thing here is that Tua Tagovailoa can fully run away with this job if he returns to his Pro Bowl form we saw in Miami, but it doesn't look like that player is still in there. So while the Atlanta Falcons finally have a quarterback plan for Week 1, there's a chance it doesn't last long.
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