Tua Tagovailoa has been named the Atlanta Falcons' starting quarterback for Week 1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team announced Monday. The decision comes after Tagovailoa’s months-long competition with Michael Penix Jr., who started nine games for the Falcons in 2025 before suffering a season-ending torn ACL in November. Prior to the injury, Penix had a 60.1% completion percentage and 1,982 passing yards, with nine TDs against three interceptions in his second season as a pro.
Coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday that Cooper Rush will back up Tagovailoa and Penix will be inactive. He declined to speculate on who the team might start at signal-caller beyond Week 1. Tagovailoa outnumbered Penix in valuable reps throughout training camp.
Penix was cleared for 11-on-11 drills on Aug. 22 but did not appear in any preseason games for the Falcons. "Of course, Mike just getting back to 11-on-11, wanted to make sure we gave him an opportunity in these practices, and we did," Stefanski said Monday.
"But feel strongly about our decision with everything, all the information available to us." Tagovailoa started the Falcons’ first and final preseason games. He was 7 of 8 for 95 yards in three drives against his former team, the Miami Dolphins, in Atlanta’s third exhibition. He led an eight-play, 60-yard touchdown drive in Atlanta’s opening drive and lost a fumble in his second.
The Falcons beat the Dolphins 17-12. Stefanski first addressed the quarterback unit as a whole, which consists of Tagovailoa, Penix, Rush and undrafted rookie Jack Strand. "Really, really proud of those guys," he said.
"Those guys have worked like crazy all offseason, and they've pushed each other, supported each other, and that's what we'll do for Tua. We'll continue to support him and understand that this is a collective group that is constantly looking to help each other." Tagovailoa signed a one-year deal with the Falcons in March following a six-year stint with the Dolphins. Miami is on the hook for $99.2 million over the next two seasons after awarding Tagovailoa a four-year, $212.5 million contract extension in 2024.
Tagavailoa started 14 games in 2025, the second-most in his career, with 20 TDs against 15 picks; both he and the Dolphins were far off from their 2022 and 2023 pace, when Tagovailoa earned MVP votes and made the Pro Bowl while leading the NFL in passing yards in the latter campaign. "I've gotten to see Tua work from the spring until now," Stefanski said. "New system for all these guys, and like I told them, there's a lot of newness with our players, coaches and, you know, everybody getting up to speed, and he's done a really nice job of working at it. …
I think he's really put himself in position to go be the best version of himself." Tagovailoa's first start for Atlanta will be at the site of his last with Miami. The quarterback was benched for rookie Quinn Ewers following the Dolphins' 28-15 loss in Pittsburgh on Dec. 15.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
