With the Atlanta Falcons‘ OTAs wrapping up on June 11, they’ll have a short break before mandatory minicamp begins on June 16. That’s when the spotlight will only grow brighter on the quarterback battle between Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa.
Through OTAs, most of the reports surrounding both quarterbacks have been positive. The problem for Penix is that he’s still recovering from the ACL tear he suffered in November.
“He’s hitting every milestone that he’s supposed to hit,” Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski said, according to Maura Carey of the AP. “Mike does have limitations based on his rehab, but he’s done a great job to date. I’ve been very impressed with what he’s able to do. We’ve been in constant communication with our medical team and Mike. Not going to put any timeframes out there just yet, just going to focus on what’s in front of us.”
For now, his injury has essentially put the quarterback competition on pause.
“It’s tough to have a competition when both guys aren’t competing at the same level right now,” quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt said, via ESPN. “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.”
The concern for Penix is obvious. Every practice he misses or participates in on a limited basis is another opportunity for Tagovailoa to stack reps.
Falcons Receive Warning About Michael Penix’s Job Security
Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport believes that could become a serious problem for the former first-round pick.
In fact, Davenport didn’t mince words when discussing Penix’s standing in the quarterback battle.
“Penix had better hope he’s cleared. Or by the time he is, newcomer Tua Tagovailoa is likely to have locked up the starting job under center,” Davenport wrote. “It’s not like Penix established a lead with his play over his first two seasons—he has completed less than 60 percent of his passes, has just 12 touchdown passes in a dozen NFL starts and he has averaged less than 200 passing yards per game.
“Every day that Tagovailoa gets all the first-round reps is a chance for him to show he should start in Week 1. He’s already a far more accomplished player, having led the league in passing yards in 2023 and completion percentage in 2024.
“You can’t win the starting job from the sideline, or by working out on the side.”
Michael Penix Running Out of Time in Falcons Competition
The Falcons signed Tagovailoa for a reason.
There were legitimate concerns that Penix’s recovery could stretch into the summer and potentially impact the start of the season. That’s why Atlanta made sure it had another experienced option in the quarterback room.
Recovering from an ACL tear isn’t a quick process. Most recoveries take at least nine months, and often longer depending on the player.
That’s what makes minicamp so important.
If Penix remains limited while Tagovailoa continues taking the bulk of the first-team reps, Davenport’s warning becomes much more difficult to dismiss.
The unfortunate part for Penix is that none of this is really his fault. Injuries happen. But in the NFL, opportunities don’t wait around.
Really, nobody knows what the future holds for the Falcons at quarterback. The new regime led by Ian Cunningham and Matt Ryan would obviously love for either Penix or Tagovailoa to work out, but there’s also a possibility neither ends up being the long-term answer.
Falcons’ Michael Penix Given Concerning Warning Before Minicamp