Falcons name Tagovailoa starter over recovering Penix for 2026 season
Falcons name Tagovailoa starter for 2026; Penix sidelined with ACL injury.
Event / Sports
NFL 2026 Offseason
Coverage of NFL team roster moves, player signings, trades, and preseason developments during the 2026 offseason period.
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2026-09-08 to 2026-11-06 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 8 Sept, 00:07 UTC
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What happened
Tua Tagovailoa signs one-year deal with Atlanta Falcons in March 2026
Tua Tagovailoa signed a one-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons in March 2026 following a six-year tenure with the Miami Dolphins. Miami remains financially committed to Tagovailoa with $99.2 million owed over the next two seasons after awarding him a four-year, $212.5 million contract extension in 2024.
Michael Penix Jr. ruled inactive for Week 1 due to ACL recovery
Michael Penix Jr., who suffered a season-ending torn ACL in November 2025, will be inactive for the Falcons' Week 1 game. Penix was cleared for 11-on-11 drills on August 22 but did not appear in any preseason games. Coach Kevin Stefanski stated that Penix does not feel ready to play at this point, though he indicated he is close to full strength.
Atlanta Falcons name Tua Tagovailoa starting QB for Week 1 against Pittsburgh Steelers
The Atlanta Falcons announced that Tua Tagovailoa will be the starting quarterback for Week 1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The decision comes after a quarterback competition with Michael Penix Jr. during training camp and preseason. Cooper Rush will serve as the backup quarterback.
Tua Tagovailoa started 14 games for Miami Dolphins in 2025 with 20 TDs and 15 INTs
In 2025, Tua Tagovailoa started 14 games for the Miami Dolphins, the second-most starts in his career, with 20 touchdowns against 15 interceptions. His performance and the Dolphins' results fell significantly short of their 2022 and 2023 pace, when Tagovailoa earned MVP votes and made the Pro Bowl while leading the NFL in passing yards in 2023.
Tua Tagovailoa benched for rookie Quinn Ewers after Dolphins loss to Steelers
Tua Tagovailoa was benched for rookie Quinn Ewers following the Miami Dolphins' 28-15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on December 15, 2025. This was Tagovailoa's final start for Miami before joining the Falcons.
Tua Tagovailoa completes preseason with strong performance against Miami Dolphins
Tagovailoa started the Falcons' first and final preseason games. In the third exhibition game against his former team, the Miami Dolphins, he was 7 of 8 for 95 yards in three drives. He led an eight-play, 60-yard touchdown drive on Atlanta's opening drive. The Falcons defeated the Dolphins 17-12.
Michael Penix Jr. had 60.1% completion percentage and 1,982 passing yards in 2025 season
In nine games started for the Falcons in 2025 before suffering a season-ending torn ACL in November, Michael Penix Jr. completed 60.1% of his passes for 1,982 passing yards with nine touchdowns against three interceptions.
Michael Penix Jr. drafted eighth overall by Falcons in 2024
The Atlanta Falcons selected Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. This selection came shortly after the team signed veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins to a four-year contract, a move that generated significant NFL-wide attention.
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