The Atlanta Falcons were in a tough position this offseason when it comes to the quarterback spot. With Kirk Cousins let go due to his massive cap hit and Michael Penix Jr. still recovering from a torn ACL he suffered in the middle of last season, they needed to add an experienced passer to compete with (or at least fill in for) their injured starter, and it had to be for cheap. Enter former Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa.
Since his arrival in Atlanta, it has been assumed that Tua has the inside track to begin the 2026 season as the team's top QB, especially with Penix still making his way back to full strength. He started the Falcons' preseason opener but failed to impress, finishing with just 21 passing yards on five attempts, including a botched snap.
His poor first impression aside, it still looks highly likely that Tagovailoa will be the starting QB when the Falcons travel to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers in Week 1. So why, then, does head coach Kevin Stefanski seem hesitant to make that call? In my opinion, it's because he is learning what Dolphins fans know all too well: Tua is too limited to be a successful starter in the NFL at this point.
Kevin Stefanski on naming a QB:
— Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) August 17, 2026
“We’re continuing on our process, continuing where we are.”
Thinks joint practices will be a chance for good work for both Tua Tagovailoa & Michael Penix Jr. pic.twitter.com/cbQqOYRvL0
Kevin Stefanski may be holding off on naming former Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa his starter to give Michael Penix time to get back healthy
With Penix's recovery ramping up since the start of camp, it's possible that he is cleared to return before Week 1 arrives on September 13. I think Stefanski knows that he can't rely on Tagovailoa to play consistent, winning football at this stage of his career, and he is hoping that he can at least try and develop Penix into someone who could.
I won't pretend to know what is really going through Stefanski's head, but the fact that he isn't willing to name Tua the starter with Penix still on the mend is hard to view as anything other than an indictment on the Dolphins' former fifth overall pick. If you look at his time with the Cleveland Browns, it makes sense why the two-time Coach of the Year winner may prefer seeing what he has in Penix.
Stefanski only had two seasons in Cleveland where his offense was in the top half of the league in both yards and points: 2020 and 2023. In 2020, his first season as the Browns' HC, he had the big-armed, gunslinging Baker Mayfield. In 2023, it was a collection of QBs including Deshaun Watson, P.J. Walker, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and Jeff Driskel, but he had his most success with 38-year-old Joe Flacco and his willingness to attack down the field.
Does that mean he can't have success with a QB who lacks arm talent and aggressiveness like Tua? No, but he hasn't thus far. Penix at least offers upside if he can dial in the rocket launcher strapped to his left shoulder, something that can't be said about his fellow lefty signal-caller. Perhaps it will still be Tagovailoa who starts the season as QB1, but I don't expect it to stay that way for long.
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