
With only two weeks remaining until Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season, the Atlanta Falcons' quarterback competition between Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. has yet to be resolved.
While head coach Kevin Stefanski has not set a deadline for announcing his starter, time is running out before he must make a call.
Here, DAZN News breaks down the latest on the situation.
While it appeared to be the Falcons' initial plan to have Tagovailoa take over as QB1, his performance has made the coaching staff question that plan.
"It really seemed that the goal of the entire organization was to have Tua be the starting quarterback right away to start the season," said Ian Rapoport.
"Let Michael Penix come along slow. …Really you’d like him to be inactive for the first several games and really just take his time and make sure he’s fully healthy.
"Tua’s play made that impossible, not just in the preseason game, which we’ve seen, but it sounds like practice as well. All of which is to say, this is Michael Penix’s job for the taking."
After an ACL injury that had him sidelined since last November, Penix Jr. made his full return to the field on Tuesday.
While yet to prove he is fully healthy, it seems like Penix is in a great position to reprise his role as the starter.
After confirming their starters will play against the Dolphins on Friday, Stefanski mentioned that Penix is "more than eager to get out there."
The upcoming game in Miami will be a tough challenge for their former quarterback, who will be making his first return since they let him go in March.
While the former Huskies quarterback seems to be making progress in his recovery, it's not a guarantee he'll be back at 100%.
As Tagovailoa's stock drops and Penix's rises, one strong performance from the latter could sway Stefanski's hand.
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