This Atlanta Falcons Quarterback situation can go one or two ways this season. One: The Falcons might have found their quarterback for the foreseeable future. Two: Neither Michael Penix Jr. nor Tua Tagovailoa will be on the roster next season.
Both have struggled with health and performance. The Atlanta Falcons have not yet announced the starter for Week 1 of the 2026 season.
According to an ESPN article, we should not be surprised if the Falcons are shopping for another quarterback next year.
“Throughout the offseason, the sense we got was that the Falcons were leaning toward starting Tua Tagovailoa over Penix, even if both are healthy,” Dan Graziano said in the ESPN article. “The problem was that Tagovailoa struggled, and now Atlanta isn’t sure he’s the guy for this season, let alone the future.
“It’s also possible Tagovailoa will play better than he did in the preseason. But those are only possibilities at this point, and neither seems strong enough to ward off the likelihood that Atlanta’s 2027 quarterback isn’t on its 2026 roster.”
Michael Penix Jr. Plagued With Injuries
“There’s still time for Michael Penix Jr. to show he can be the guy moving forward, and the fact that he was finally cleared for 11-on-11 team drills last week after an offseason of injury recovery is a good sign,” Graziano wrote. “But this is a new front office and coaching staff, different from the one that drafted Penix.”
It’s safe to say these questions began rise once Michael Penix Jr. went down with his injury.
Overall, Penix’s health has been a problem in the past. Penix Jr. entered the 2025 season as the starter for the Atlanta Falcons.
Before Michael Penix Jr. went down with an ACL injury, 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. Michael Penix Jr. is expected to be available to compete for the starting position in 2026.
It would make sense that they would bring Tua Tagovailoa on board to establish some type of veteran presence.
Uncertainty Entering Week 1
“Tagovailoa could end up having to start Week 1 just because Penix might not be fully ready, but it’s clear the Falcons are uncomfortable with their QB situation,” Graziano wrote. “They kept backups Cooper Rush and Jack Strand over the weekend when they pared their roster to 53 players, so they have four quarterbacks on board. Again, Penix could rise above the rest.
According to CBS Sports’ Garrett Podell, the Atlanta Falcons have the fifth worst quarterback room in the league. Only the Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets, and the Pittsburgh Steelers are lower than Atlanta.
“Both Tagovailoa and Penix Jr. are injury risks, but Tagovailoa is the least injured of the two at the moment. Penix Jr. will likely return to the starting quarterback when healthy, but it would make sense for them to be cautious with his rehab.” Podell wrote.
A lot of people have Michael Penix Jr. favored to win the job due to his upside. The question remains if Penix will be ready health wise.
Falcons Get Bad Prediction on Their Current QB Room