The Atlanta Falcons have a quarterback battle on their hands in Flowery Branch this offseason, but that's not an uncommon occurrence as of late. Since moving on from Matt Ryan following the 2021 season, Atlanta has had four different opening day starters at the quarterback position, including Marcus Mariota, Desmond Ridder, Kirk Cousins, and Michael Penix Jr. The Falcons have yet to announce their starting quarterback for the 2026 season, opening the door for a possible 6th player in 6 years to start at QB in week one.
Following the departure of Kirk Cousins this offseason, Atlanta opted to bring in a veteran lefty presence to compete with fellow lefty and 2024 first-round pick, Michael Penix Jr., as he recovers from an ACL injury that cut his 2025 campaign short. The name the Falcons settled on was one familiar to many sports fans in the metro Atlanta area, having played his college ball just 200 miles west in Tuscaloosa. Tua Tagovailoa signed with the Atlanta Falcons on March 13 and has a chance to be Atlanta's 6th different opening day starter in the last 6 years. Tua started week one for the Dolphins from 2021-2025, where he built a 4-1 record in season openers and had a Passer Rating of 93.8.
What Makes This Falcons QB Room Standout?
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Atlanta's untraditional quarterback room is drawing national attention as critics question the lack of prior success of either player.
"Having two left-handed quarterbacks on your roster at the same time is an exceedingly rare thing," wrote Athlon Sports' Doug Farrar. "In NFL history, exactly two teams have had more than one lefty — the 1991 Cincinnati Bengals with Boomer Esiason and Erik Wilhelm, and the 1997 Jacksonville Jaguars with Mark Brunell and Steve Matthews. Now, the 2026 Atlanta Falcons with Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa join that group. And unlike the Bengals and Jaguars of their era, there’s no sure thing among the competing lefties. Neither Penix nor Tagovailoa have proven in their careers what Esiason and Brunell did in theirs, and the clock is running."
Although unproven and unique, both quarterbacks have shown elite skills in different areas, leading the Falcons' coaching staff to express their confidence in the room and their ability to push each other to improve. Between Michael Penix Jr.'s high-level arm talent and Tua Tagovailoa's experience, accuracy, and quick release, the Falcons have a tough choice ahead as they decide who to trust to get them over the hump and make it to the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
