The Atlanta Falcons will announce who will be the starting quarterback sooner or later. Though both Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa have had their ups and downs, Atlanta’s fanbase is eager to see who the starter will be.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Michael Penix Jr. has closed the gap on Tua Tagovailoa in the quarterback competition.
“Tua Tagovailoa had a big-time lead in this race,” Rapoport reported during a Thursday appearance on NFL GameDay. “Really was his for the taking. That was the hope of the organization. That he would come in, play well, take the starting job and kind of move forward that way. Meanwhile, Michael Penix Jr. could just rehab, recover from that torn ACL, get back whenever healthy, then they would reassess at some point in the season if a change needed to be made.
“Tua has been inconsistent in practice, was inconsistent in the game,” he added. “Seems like he has been practicing better the last couple of days, but the door is open for Michael Penix.”
Tua Had Lead in Competition for a While
Tua Tagovailoa practiced well during the offseason while Penix was still recovering. If you’ve watched Tagovailoa during this preseason, you know he’s been rough. Rough enough to have Kevin Stefanski scratching his head.
Stefanski recently announced Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa will split reps now that Penix is cleared for 11-on-11 work.
“The new part for Mike is just being in there with a full offensive line, a full defensive line, but he’s been in walkthrough huddles, he’s been in 7-on-7, he’s obviously gone through individuals,” Stefanski told reporters on Monday. “So, this is a good — now that Mike is cleared — it’s good that he can start that process of getting back to 11-on-11.”
Now Or Never for Both Quarterbacks
With Tagovailoa being on a one-year deal, this may be his last chance to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. Ironically, the same could be said for Michael Penix Jr. as well.
Penix has a chance to cement himself as the starter with him being cleared for 11-on-11 work. The kid is a gunslinger. He just has to put it out on the field this week.
The Atlanta Falcons made it clear that the competition would not start until Penix was cleared for full-team work. Now, we will genuinely see whose job it is for the taking.
Penix underwent surgery on a partially torn ACL in his left knee the week of Nov. 24, 2025.
Before Michael Penix Jr. went down, he completed 60.1 percent of his passes while throwing for 1,982 yards during the 2025 season. He had nine total touchdowns and 3 interceptions.
“While Penix has participated in every practice since training camp began, he had not yet been cleared for any contact or full-team work,” Will McFadden wrote in an Atlanta Falcons article. “Therefore, Saturday’s revelation marked the end of Penix’s path back to full activities and the beginning of a new chapter for the third-year passer under this current coaching staff.”
“As far as a pocket, I can do everything,” Penix told the media on Thursday. “If I had a rush coming at me and everything, I can get away. But it’s just, right now, if I don’t get away, that’s what we think about. If I don’t get away, I don’t think my doctor is ready for me to take those hits right now, but that time is coming real soon.”
Falcons’ Michael Penix Jr. ‘Closes Gap’ on QB Competition