Overview
- As of Wednesday, Sept. 2 the Atlanta Falcons have not named a Week 1 starter and are explicitly holding the decision while they evaluate Michael Penix Jr. in additional full-team practice.
- Penix was medically cleared for football a little over a week ago after a 2025 ACL tear but has been limited, did not play in the final preseason game, and the club wants to see how his knee and comfort under pressure hold up in live 11-on-11 work.
- Tua Tagovailoa took most first-team reps this summer but produced inconsistent preseason results and has not done enough to lock the job, and a viral Instagram comment tied to his account was later attributed to his wife who said she posted on his behalf.
- General manager Ian Cunningham confirmed the Falcons carried four quarterbacks on the 53-man roster — Penix, Tagovailoa, Cooper Rush and Jack Strand — calling the move an insurance policy driven by health and readiness concerns.
- The staff must name a starter before the Sept. 13 opener at Pittsburgh and multiple outlets say Penix appears to have the inside track if he proves durable in team drills, a result that would shape Atlanta’s play-calling and roster plans early in the season.