Atlanta Falcons name Tua Tagovailoa starting quarterback for Week 1

The Atlanta Falcons have named Tua Tagovailoa as their starting quarterback for the Week 1 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Tagovailoa, who signed with Atlanta after being released by the Miami Dolphins, won the position battle following a competition with Michael Penix Jr.

Penix, who started nine games for the Falcons in 2025, will be inactive for the season opener as he continues to recover from a torn ACL. While Penix has been cleared for practice and is working toward full readiness, head coach Kevin Stefanski opted for the veteran Tagovailoa to lead the offense in the opener. Cooper Rush will serve as the primary backup.

The decision marks the sixth time since 2021 that Atlanta has entered the season with a new starting quarterback. Tagovailoa enters the season looking to rebuild his career after a difficult 2025 campaign in Miami, while the Falcons organization maintains depth with four quarterbacks on the active roster to ensure stability during the evaluation process.