Michael Penix Jr, Tua Tagovailoa Kevin Stefanski Atlanta Falcons
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Michael Penix Jr. #9 of the Atlanta Falcons runs through drills alongside Tua Tagovailoa #1 as head coach Kevin Stefanski
After finishing the 2025 NFL season with a disappointing record of 8-9 and missing the NFL playoffs, the Atlanta Falcons decided to shake things up by making some significant changes.
One of those changes was replacing head coach Raheem Morris with two-time NFL Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski, formerly of the Cleveland Browns.
Along with bringing in a proven head coach to be Morris’ successor in Atlanta, the Falcons decided to make things a little interesting at the quarterback position, bringing in free agent Tua Tagovailoa to compete with Michael Penix Jr. for the starting job under center.
Michael Penix Jr. & Tua Tagovailoa QB Battle
Michael Penix Jr, Tua Tagovailoa Atlanta Falcons
GettyMichael Penix Jr. #9 and Tua Tagovailoa #1 of the Atlanta Falcons
Stefanski and company have already let it be known that it will be an open competition for the Week 1 starter at quarterback, with Tagovailoa and Penix set for a tough offseason of battling back and forth for the top spot at the most important position on the football field.
Quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt provided a little tidbit on the competition between Penix and Tagovailoa this week, basically claiming things are neck and neck between the two quarterbacks in Atlanta, but it won’t be a true competition until Penix is fully healthy, via Marc Raimondi of ESPN.
“It’s tough to have a competition when both guys aren’t competing at the same level right now,” Van Pelt said. “So, it’s hard and it’ll come. It’ll happen at some point. Mike’s done a great job of getting himself to where he is right now. Really impressive to take 7-on-7 reps and go out and compete. That’s been great. But really, there’s no competition until we can actually evaluate him equally.”
Once Penix gets back to 100 percent healthy, as he’s still recovering from surgery on a torn ACL back in November, it’ll be interesting to see where this quarterback competition goes, with both players having injury histories and desperate to prove they can still be starters in the NFL.
Kevin Stefanski on Michael Penix Jr’s Medical Situation
Michael Penix Jr, Tua Tagovailoa Kevin Stefanski Atlanta Falcons
GettyHead coach Kevin Stefanski looks on as quarterback Tua Tagovailoa #1 of the Atlanta Falcons
Stefanski gave a bit of an injury on Penix’s status in his return from knee surgery and the process the team is going through with the 26-year-old quarterback.
“He’s hitting every milestone that he’s supposed to hit,” Stefanski said. “We’re in constant communication with our medical team and Mike, and I think he’s doing everything he can do and certainly when he may want to do more, we have to hold him back from certain things potentially. But not going to put any time frames out there just yet, just going to focus on what’s in front of us.”
In the two seasons he’s spent with the Falcons since getting selected No. 8 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft out of the University of Washington, Penix has played in only 14 regular-season games.
Penix has thrown for 2,757 yards, 12 touchdowns and three interceptions during that span while also rushing for 81 rushing yards and two touchdowns.