Tua Tagovailoa will start at quarterback for Atlanta in Sunday’s season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team announced Monday, ending a months-long competition with Michael Penix Jr. and giving the Falcons their sixth different Week 1 starter in as many seasons.
Atlanta signed Tagovailoa to a one-year, $1.3 million contract in the offseason after the Miami Dolphins released him in March. Miami absorbed a record $99.2 million in dead cap to part ways with the six-year veteran.
Penix tore his ACL last November and underwent surgery. He was not cleared for 11-on-11 team periods until the final week of training camp, limiting his opportunity to compete for the starting job. He began training camp with a tight back and missed the first week of practices before returning.
His preseason with Atlanta
Tagovailoa started two preseason games for the Falcons. He received only nine plays in his debut but completed 7 of 8 passes for 95 yards against the Dolphins in his second start. He fumbled a snap in both appearances and struggled to push the ball downfield, which was also an issue in Falcons training camp practices.
His track record
He led the NFL in passing yards in 2023 with 4,624 and in completion percentage in 2024 at 72.9 percent. He has also struggled with injury, specifically concussions, and threw 15 interceptions last season.
Over six seasons, he has completed 68 percent of his passes for 18,166 yards with 120 touchdowns and 59 interceptions.
The competition and what it means
The Falcons’ decision to go with Tagovailoa over Penix, whose recovery from ACL surgery limited his training camp participation, is partly a function of Penix’s readiness and partly a reflection of Tagovailoa’s experience. Whether the decision holds beyond Week 1 will depend on his performance against the Steelers and how Penix develops as his knee continues to heal.
The Falcons have been searching for stability at quarterback for years. Six different Week 1 starters in six seasons is one of the more notable markers of that instability, and the Tagovailoa signing was in part a bridge option while Penix recovers and develops.
At his 2023-2024 level, he would give the Falcons a starting quarterback capable of competing in a tough NFC South. The questions around his durability, given the concussion history, and the fumble issues from the preseason are the main risk factors heading into the opener.
The Pittsburgh Steelers present a difficult first test, with one of the more physical defensive fronts in the AFC that will look to establish pressure on a quarterback making his first start with a new team.
