Falcons Name Tua Tagovailoa Starting Quarterback Ahead of Steelers Debut

The Falcons named Tua Tagovailoa their starting quarterback Monday. He beat out Michael Penix Jr. in a stop-and-start, injury-impacted quarterback battle and will make his official Atlanta debut Sunday against the Steelers.

Tagovailoa will be Atlanta's sixth consecutive different Week 1 starting quarterback.

The Dolphins released Tagovailoa, 28, last year, and he subsequently signed a one-year deal with the Falcons. Expected to go head-to-head with Penix for the starting nod, he essentially won the job de facto. Penix, recovering from yet another knee injury, wasn't able to participate in full-team drills until after the team's second preseason game, and he did not play in the third preseason game either.

Penix "did not believe that he was ready" for Week 1, according to ESPN. Shortly after naming Tagovailoa the starter, coach Kevin Stefanski said Penix Jr. won't even be active in Week 1. Cooper Rush will be the backup quarterback.

Tagovailoa, on the other hand, had almost a full training camp and played in two preseason games, though the results were mixed at best. He struggled mightily in Week 1 of the preseason, did not play in Week 2 and then looked better in Week 3 -- though that game was against the Dolphins' backups. He had trouble handling snaps in both appearances, an issue that sometimes plagued him in Miami as well. Overall, he went 10-for-13 for 117 yards across the two cameos.

Tagovailoa reached some impressive highs -- a top-10 MVP finish in 2022 and a Pro Bowl and passing yards crown in 2023 -- in Miami, but he struggled last season, throwing 15 interceptions and eventually getting benched. With the Dolphins undergoing a major rebuild, they moved on from Tagovailoa despite record cap penalties.

He'll now hope to resurrect his career surrounded by superstar running back Bijan Robinson, standout wide receiver Drake London and a solid offensive line. Health will be a key, as he has played all 17 games just once in his career, but for now, he'll get the first shot to prove he can be the answer to Atlanta's quarterback woes.

What to expect from Tua Tagovailoa

If the last two seasons and this preseason are any indicators, this will be a bumpy ride. Tagovailoa admitted his first preseason performance "wasn't up to standard" after the Falcons got throttled by the Broncos. He was better in preseason Week 3, but again, that was against several Dolphins backups -- and many of Miami's starters are backup-quality players, so really, it was against guys simply hoping to make a roster or practice squad

Tagovailoa's propensity for getting rid of the ball as soon as possible -- and often accurately -- could technically fit, though his weak arm, limited mobility and turnover issues make the margins for error slim to none. Expect a heavy, heavy dose of Robinson, London and Kyle Pitts on quick-hitting throws. In the preseason, Tagovailoa's average pass went 2.0 yards downfield, a preposterously low number that will obviously rise when his games actually count. Still, throws like these will be commonplace, with YAC doing much of the work.

Last year, Tagovailoa's average release time was 2.59 seconds, the fastest in the NFL. His 6.8 air yards per attempt ranked 28th out of 33 qualifying quarterbacks. Those numbers will rise in part because Stefanski prefers more under-center play action, but still, there's a clear picture with Tagovailoa.

Michael Penix Jr. will get his chance

Tagovailoa won this quarterback battle simply by being available (and not being a complete disaster when available). Penix's extended recovery from injury meant he didn't really get a shot.

He will almost certainly get his shot this season, though. Tagovailoa's injury history is well-documented, ranging from several concussions to thumb, rib, finger, back and hip ailments ... and that's just in his NFL career. His dislocated hip while at Alabama also made him a completely different player.

Penix simply needs more time to get into the swing of things, and when he is physically ready, a quarterback change could be quickly in the offing.

The biggest beneficiary of a potential change down the road would be London, who has thrived in his short time sharing the field with Penix.

Drake London career

Michael Penix Jr. on field

Michael Penix Jr. not on field

Target share

35.2%

20.4%

Yards per reception

14.3

11.9

Explosive rate

20.9%

14.9%

Yards per target

8.9

7.4

Falcons' QB carousel continues

Regardless of which quarterback plays the most this year, Atlanta will very likely be in the quarterback market next offseason. Stop me if you've heard this before. Here's the list of Week 1 starters since 2021:

2021: Matt Ryan

2022: Marcus Mariota

2023: Desmond Ridder

2024: Kirk Cousins

2025: Penix Jr.

2026: Tagovailoa