Atlanta Falcons QB battle: Tagovailoa leads early, Penix clearance pending

The Atlanta Falcons are set to hold a quarterback competition during training camp, pitting veteran Tua Tagovailoa against rookie Michael Penix Jr. Tagovailoa, the former Miami Dolphins starter, has taken the majority of reps in the offseason program and earned early praise from head coach Kevin Stefanski, who said, “He’s done a really nice job of learning…he’s learning and he’s [saying], ‘Hey, you may have called this the last six years, we’re going to call this.’”

Penix, who is recovering from a torn ACL that ended his second NFL season, remains limited to 7‑on‑7 drills and is awaiting medical clearance, which could come by the start of camp. NFL insider James Palmer described Tagovailoa as the “front‑runner with an asterisk,” noting the competition will truly begin once Penix is cleared. Both players are vying for the starting role as the Falcons prepare for the upcoming season.