First-year Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski announced that veteran Tua Tagovailoa will start at quarterback for Atlanta, with Cooper Rush serving as his backup. Third-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. will be inactive.
“Really really proud of those guys,” Stefanski said to reporters, confirming Tagovailoa’s starting role. “I think those guys have worked like crazy all offseason, and they’ve pushed each other, supported each other. That’s what we’ll do for [Tagovailoa]. We’ll continue to support him and understand that this is a collective group that is constantly looking to help each other. Really enjoy that group. Proud of them for what they’ve done and what they’ve accomplished.”
Tagovailoa joined Atlanta on a one-year, $1.215 million contract this offseason, a move reminiscent of a familiar approach used by other teams in recent years, as he continues to receive a larger partnership from his former team’s ongoing payout this season. Tagovailoa competed with Penix for the starting job during training camp. Penix, a former top-10 pick, suffered a partially torn ACL and underwent season-ending surgery in November 2025.
Stay tuned for more updates as Week 1 draws closer and the Falcons’ quarterback plans become clearer for the opener.
