The Atlanta Falcons exited minicamp and headed deeper into the summer with the clear feeling that Tua Tagovailoa had a lead in the quarterback competition. A big piece of this is the fact that Michael Penix Jr. is held back by last season's injury, as well as the veteran experience of Tagovailoa shining through. While fans might want to see Penix given one last chance to prove he is a franchise answer, there is no question that Falcons fans are likely to see both quarterbacks in the 2026 season.
Looking at recent team history, there simply isn't any reason to believe that one quarterback is going to start and finish the season. Desmond Ridder, Marcus Mariota, Taylor Heinicke, Kirk Cousins, and Penix have all combined in some fashion since the 2022 season, with the team never having one Week 1 starter complete the season as the consistent answer.
One could argue that this is a bit of karmic justice for how the franchise pushed Matt Ryan out the back door after a rough 2021 season. The quarterback issues plaguing the team ever since have been undeniably earned, even if it remains a clear source of frustration.
For the Falcons, there isn't only the recent history of struggles but the unique injury risk that both of the current starting options present. Fans wouldn't be shocked if there was some point in the 2026 season when the franchise was forced to turn to its third answer at the position.
Falcons Likely to Start Penix and Tagovailoa in the 2026 Season
Tagovailoa has a history of head injuries, with the quarterback suffering them so consistently that whether or not it is wise for him to continue playing was a legitimate conversation. One that Atlanta fans remember well, leading us to look at Penix, who has suffered three serious knee injuries, with the last one being in the 2025 season on what appeared to be a routine play.
Pointing out that both players are injury-prone is more than fair. Combining this with Atlanta's recent history at the position makes it clear that the franchise is unlikely to find one consistent answer in the 2026 season.
Proving this opinion wrong would be welcomed and hand the Falcons a clear path to being among the NFC South contenders. However, it is difficult to hold the opinion that this will prove to be the case based on an increasingly frustrating resume at the quarterback position.
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