The Falcons’ quarterback competition just took a major hit. Head coach Kevin Stefanski revealed Friday that Tua Tagovailoa is still not at full strength. Despite Tagovailoa doing some practice work on Thursday after missing the start of camp with back tightness, Stefanski’s update suggests a real cloud still hangs over the depth chart.
Tua’s Grind Back to Full Speed
Stefanski laid out the situation plainly: Tua’s making progress, but he is not there yet. “I don’t know that he’s full yet,” Stefanski told reporters, a quote that hits harder than a run blitz up the middle. Tua did manage to get into some “slower jog-through periods,” which is a step forward from earlier in the week. The coach did sound optimistic about the future, noting Tagovailoa is “getting better every single day” and will “remain on that trajectory.” Stefanski is “really confident that he’ll be out there soon.” Every Falcons fan has to be hoping that “soon” means really soon.
QB Competition on Hold
This isn’t just about Tua’s back, though. This whole situation has slammed the brakes on what should be a heated quarterback competition. Michael Penix is also sidelined, still working his way back from a torn ACL he suffered last season. With both top guys unable to handle full-team work, it puts a real damper on the battle for the starting job. Stefanski said Tua isn’t far off from getting into all phases of practice, which means once he’s truly back, the competition can finally get real. Until then, it’s a waiting game, and nobody likes waiting when a season is on the horizon.
The Falcons need their quarterbacks healthy and battling it out if they want to hit the ground running. Every day Tua and Penix are limited is a day lost in getting the team ready. Here’s hoping Stefanski’s confidence in Tua’s return is well-placed, and we see that quarterback competition fire up in full force very soon.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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