Falcons Turn to Tagovailoa as Starting QB Under New Coach Stefanski
Falcons name Tagovailoa starter with new coach Stefanski as Penix recovers from ACL injury.
Event / Sports
NFL 2026 Offseason
Quarterback moves, coaching changes, and roster transactions during the 2026 NFL offseason, including free agency signings and draft preparations.
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2026-09-08 to 2026-11-06 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 8 Sept, 00:37 UTC
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What happened
Atlanta Falcons name Tua Tagovailoa starting quarterback for Week 1
The Atlanta Falcons officially announced that Tua Tagovailoa will be their starting quarterback for the Week 1 regular season game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The decision was made six days before the start of the regular season. Tagovailoa, 28, was selected over Michael Penix Jr., who was recovering from a torn ACL suffered in the previous season and was not cleared for full practice until the final week of training camp.
Kevin Stefanski becomes Falcons head coach, replacing Raheem Morris
Kevin Stefanski was hired as the Atlanta Falcons' head coach, replacing Raheem Morris. Stefanski previously served as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns. This is part of the Falcons' coaching change following their 8-9 record in the previous season.
Michael Penix Jr. sidelined for Week 1 due to ACL recovery
Michael Penix Jr., the Falcons' 2024 No. 8 overall draft pick, will be inactive for the Week 1 game against Pittsburgh as he continues recovering from a torn ACL suffered in November of the previous season. Penix was not cleared for full practice until the final week of training camp and did not play in any preseason games.
Pittsburgh Steelers start 2026 season with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback
Aaron Rodgers returns as the starting quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2026, which he indicated will be his final season. The Steelers reunited Rodgers with former head coach Mike McCarthy, who replaced longtime coach Mike Tomlin. Tomlin stepped away from coaching and is now working for NBC Sports.
Tua Tagovailoa signed one-year deal with Falcons after Miami Dolphins release
Tua Tagovailoa joined the Atlanta Falcons on a one-year, $1.3 million contract after the Miami Dolphins released him in March. The Dolphins had signed Tagovailoa to a four-year, $212.4 million contract extension in July 2024 despite his injury history, but released him after the 2024 season in which he compiled a 6-8 record.
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