The Atlanta Falcons ruffled some feathers with their decision to sign Tua Tagovailoa. Whether it was their fanbase, with Michael Penix Jr., or with NFL fans everywhere questioning Kevin Stefanski's rationale, it's no secret that Tagovailoa has to do a lot to re-establish himself as a starting-caliber QB.
We don't know how Tua's one-year deal with Atlanta will truly age, but with this little risk, it can't be much of a disaster. What we do know is that he'll be competing with Penix for the starting job, but while addressing the media for the first time as a Falcon, he said that competition doesn't faze him.
Tagovailoa battled with Jalen Hurts for the QB1 job at Alabama, which he won out, so he knows full well that any true competitor doesn't shy away from a challenge. He also revealed he knew he would be competing when he signed with the Dirty Birds, but that didn't deter him from putting pen to paper.
Tua Tagovailoa isn't scared of having to compete for the Atlanta Falcons' starting quarterback position
Even if the 28-year-old didn't choose Atlanta for the opportunity to start, it still sounds like he will get at least some shot. His competition with Penix depends on whether or not he will be back on the field in time for training camp, and while that appears likely, Tua is healthier-- and that means he'll have more time to get comfortable within the offense and develop a rapport with his pass-catchers.
2025 was a pretty brutal year for Tagovailoa, but was one of the better starters in the NFL in 2023 and 2024. The Falcons are banking on him to return to his old form with a scenery change, as people are forgetting that it wasn't too long ago that he led the NFL in passing yards and completion percentage.
Stefanski and Tommy Rees aren't just going to hand him a second chance, he has to earn it. The NFL isn't in the business of feel-good stories. Penix was a top-10 pick just two years ago, and while he has yet to live up to the billing, his potential with a better coaching staff surrounding him is immeasurable.
The 25-year-old has great arm talent, he was just never operating in a system where he was able to use it. He has the arm strength and Tua has the accuracy, so even though they are both left-handed, from a play-style perspective, Atlanta's two quarterbacks are kind of the antithesis of one another.
The whole point of signing him in the first place was for him to push the 25-year-old by elevating the QB play at a cheaper price than Kirk Cousins. And besides, the mentorship of Matt Ryan has to be a selling point, not to mention sharing an offense with Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts. If anything, the competition will make them both better since they will have to push themselves more.
The Falcons should be worried about his 15 interceptions in 2025 and his alarming medical history, but Tua has a 68% completion rate across his career. Paying $1.3 million for a player with 76 starts under his belt is a major bargain even if he doesn't win the job, but he looks ready to prove himself.