Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa
NFL Insider Appears to Sound the Alarm on Tua Tagovailoa After Major Falcons News 1
The Atlanta Falcons will be going with a new face at quarterback in Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season. On Monday, the team officially named former Alabama Crimson Tide star Tua Tagovailoa as their QB1, or at least for the team’s first game of the campaign.
Atlanta’s opening assignment is against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who will have future Pro Football Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers. Tagovailoa isn’t on a path to Canton like the four-time NFL Most Valuable Player Rodgers, but he definitely has something to prove to the Falcons (and the fans), given that many seem to believe that he would eventually lose the QB1 role to Michael Penix Jr.
According to NFL insider Albert Breer, Tagovailoa winning the QB1 role after a training camp battle against Penix does not necessarily mean that the former proved that he’s the better option for Atlanta.
“On the @AtlantaFalcons situation, Michael Penix has been fully cleared. So he’d be good to dress for Week 1. But he’s still working his way back from the injury, so Atlanta’s being careful here. This isn’t Tua Tagovailoa beating him out. Moreso, it’s about Penix’s readiness,” Breer wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Falcons Will See What Tagovailoa Can Do…For Now
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Tua TagovailoaAtlanta Falcons quarterback Tua Tagovailoa
Dec 15, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) leaves the field following a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
Penix, however, will be inactive in Week 1, and it will be Cooper Rush, who will serve as Tagovailoa’s chief backup quarterback.
It can be recalled that Penix went down with a torn ACL injury in 2025. He underwent surgery to address the injury. In the summer, he was cleared for 11-on-11 play late in training camp.
Penix’s return to action has yet to get a date, so it’s hard to say at the moment when he’ll be taking snaps under center. Should Tagovailoa struggle right out of the gate, that will perhaps pressure Atlanta to give Penix the job and see where he could take the team.
In 2025, the Falcons went 8-9 and finished third in the NFC South standings.
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) throws a pass against the Denver Broncos in the first quater at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.Atlanta Falcons quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) throws a pass against the Denver Broncos in the first quater at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Aug 14, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) throws a pass against the Denver Broncos in the first quater at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images