Falcons tab Tua Tagovailoa as starting QB for season opener at Steelers

FLOWERY BRANCH — The Falcons have named Tua Tagovailoa their starting quarterback to begin the season, ending a summerlong competition with Michael Penix Jr. and giving the former Dolphins star a chance to resurrect his career.

The Falcons announced the news Monday morning.

Tagovailoa signed a one-year contract with the Falcons in March after being released by the Dolphins one season into a four-year, $212.4 million contract he inked in July 2024.

Drafted No. 5 overall by the Dolphins in 2020, Tagovailoa started 76 games across six seasons and led the team to a 44-32 record. He finished ninth in the MVP race in 2022, topped the NFL in passing yards in ’23 and paced the league in completion rate in ’24.

But the wheels fell off Tagovailoa’s proverbial wagon in 2025. He was benched after 14 games, and he led the NFL with 15 interceptions at the time.

Health has been a concern, too. The 28-year-old has played every game in a season only once as a professional, coming in 2023, and he’s suffered four documented concussions since 2019. He was limited the first week of training camp because of a minor back injury.

With Penix not cleared for 11-on-11 activity until Aug. 20, Tagovailoa took the bulk of first-team reps this offseason. He went 85-for-131 passing, a 65% completion rate, in 11-on-11 periods throughout training camp, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s passing tracker.

Falcons offensive coordinator Tommy Rees said during training camp that Tagovailoa has “taken a lot of ownership” within the offense this summer.

“One thing about him is, when things are clean, he’s as accurate as they get,” Rees said. “And so, it’s our job to stress the other 10 guys around him to play with great detail, play with great understanding, so that things are clean and we’re able to execute at a high level.”

Chemistry has been a focal point of Tagovailoa’s offseason discussions. Last season, Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich called Tagovailoa “maybe one of the best rhythm throwers in the NFL.”

Tagovailoa has tried to build such a rhythm this summer, learning how his receivers run their routes so he can synchronize his footwork with the timing of their movements. Collectively, he’s been pleased with the progress.

Have the Falcons made enough strides to be in sync Week 1? Tagovailoa said during the penultimate week of camp there’s really no other choice.

“When it’s game time, it’s game time,” Tagovailoa said. “You’d better be ready.”

Tagovailoa joined the Falcons with no promises, only a chance to compete. His road to the starting spot was bumpy and at times appeared in question, but he took more snaps than Penix this summer and the team evidently feels he’s more prepared to play.