Not often do you see everyone praise a move made by an NFL franchise, especially at the quarterback position.
The Atlanta Falcons have seen that firsthand; they were ripped apart for signing Kirk Cousins and drafting Michael Penix Jr. And now, in 2026, there has been a lot of criticism with the inexpensive signing of Tua Tagovailoa and looming QB competition with Penix in training camp.
Among those with a pessimistic view is ESPN analyst and former NFL quarterback Tim Hasselbeck, who didn't mince words on NFL Live, going as far as to say he "hates" the team's decision to offer Kevin Stefanski the same instability he dealt with under center while coaching the Cleveland Browns.
"I'm surprised they moved as quickly as they did to sign Tua, and I think I have some reservations about the health of both guys and then the ability to play well," Hasselbeck said. "Although the people around the quarterback are extremely talented... Maybe Kyler Murray would've been a preference for me instead of a guy like Tua."
Falcons fans cannot afford to ignore the injury history of their two quarterbacks
Another former QB in EJ Manuel starts by walking the don't love it, don't-hate-it line. But then Hasselbeck comes in with the fire, and let's be honest, his concerns are warranted. The Falcons' quarterback room is topped by two lefty passers who have had their own challenges during their playing career, mainly in staying healthy. But he did praise the supporting cast Atlanta has built.
For Tagovailoa, every fan knows the scary moments he has had on the gridiron. Numerous times he has been popped in the head and been seen stumbling around as he tries to walk it off. The 28-year-old's concussion history is something that any empathetic human being should be worried about.
Unfortunately, concussions are oftentimes things that don't just stop happening. He has had a clean bill of health over the past couple of seasons, but it only takes one chaotic play for that to change. And while he was awful last year, he's played a full 17-game season just once in his six NFL seasons.
And then you have Penix Jr., who has sustained numerous ACL tears throughout his playing career. He is coming off a partial tear from last season, and who knows when he'll be fully healthy. As they said in the clip, the Falcons are a few plays away from playing Trevor Siemian, the third-string QB.
This is the harsh truth that we can't ignore. However, they also gave some good news: the Dirty Birds have a solid offensive line and a running game that can eliminate the need to throw the ball 30 times a game. Odds also tell you that the chance both signal-callers go down with significant injuries is low.
Hasselbeck misses the point that 72 quarterbacks have a higher salary with their current teams than Tagovailoa. So on the injury side of things, yes, it is a risky move by the Falcons, but it's a short-term fix. Thankfully, they have protected themselves from getting burned like they did with Kirk Cousins.
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