Falcons to have a 'short leash' on Tua Tagovailoa after poor preseason image
The Atlanta Falcons are the only team in the NFL after September 4 to not have a starting quarterback named. Michael Penix Jr. is coming back from injury and would seemingly be the starter if healthy.
But, with Week 1 just a week away, the Falcons are looking more likely to name Tua Tagovailoa the starting quarterback. If they do name Tagovailoa the starter, there is going to be one major caveat for the former Miami Dolphins lefty.
According to Ian Rapoport on NFL Network, the Falcons will have a "short leash" with Tagovailoa if he earns the starting job. That means Atlanta might end up making a quick change if Tagovailoa struggles.
Falcons to have a 'short leash' with Tua Tagovailoa
"So they are in a holding pattern for when Michael Penix Jr. is ready," Rapoport reports. "But then I will say this: if Tua is named the starter early this week, or whenever this is, it's going to be on a little bit of a short leash, and based on part of the health of Michael Penix Jr."
This update from Rapoport should not be a surprise to Falcons fans, as the massive struggles of Tagovailoa have left a lot to be desired in the QB room.
Cooper Rush doesn't instill much confidence, and Jack Strand is a rookie undrafted free agent who, while exciting, is a major unknown and might not see any NFL action in 2026.
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But Penix, the Falcons' first-round pick back in 2024, would surely be the starter if he were healthy. That's not the case right now, leaving the door open for Tagovailoa to start Week 1 despite his poor preseason performance.
If Tagovailoa is actually named the starter for Week 1, the Falcons are not going to be patient with him as he tries to figure things out with the Falcons.
Tagovailoa struggling early will likely result in a change. It could be a pivot to Rush or even Strand if Penix is not healthy just yet.
But, one thing seems clear: the Falcons are not going to be patient with Tagovailoa. He'll need to perform well to maintain this starter job if he does win up getting the chance in Week 1, which is not a guarantee at this point.
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