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Falcons QB Decision: Tua Tagovailoa Named Week 1 Starter over Michael Penix Jr.
Tagovailoa earned the starting role after Michael Penix Jr. remained limited by an ACL injury, taking the majority of first-team repetitions during training camp.
- On Monday, the Atlanta Falcons named Tua Tagovailoa their starting quarterback for Week 1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 13 at Acrisure Stadium.
- Tagovailoa signed a one-year, $1.3 million contract with the Falcons in March after the Miami Dolphins released him, taking on $99.2 million in dead cap. He beat out Michael Penix Jr. for the starting role.
- In 2023, he led the NFL with 4,624 passing yards and earned a Pro Bowl nod, though last season he threw 15 interceptions while recovering from a torn ACL. His new Falcons offense features superstar running back Bijan Robinson, star receiver Drake London, and tight end Kyle Pitts.
- Penix, who tore his ACL last November, remained limited during training camp and was not fully cleared for practice until late August. The Falcons kept four quarterbacks on their 53-player roster, including Cooper Rush and Jack Strand.
- With the starter decision official, the Falcons will prepare for their September 13 matchup in Pittsburgh with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m. ET. Tagovailoa seeks to provide stability after Atlanta cycled through six different Week 1 starters across the last six seasons.
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Falcons settle major question on Tua Tagovailoa
Tua Tagovailoa has officially been handed the keys to the Atlanta Falcons’ offense, at least for Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season. On Monday, the NFC South franchise released a statement via the Falcons’ official site announcing Tagovailoa as their starting quarterback for their season-opening matchup Sunday against Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers …
Coverage Details
Total News Sources18
Leaning Left6Leaning Right3Center5Last UpdatedBias Distribution43% Left
Bias Distribution
- 43% of the sources lean Left
43% Left
L 43%
C 36%
R 21%
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