It’s Week 1, and the Atlanta Falcons are already a mess at quarterback, with Tua Tagovailoa appearing to suffer an oblique injury Thursday, putting his availability for Sunday’s game in question. This comes after Tagovailoa already missed the first week of training camp due to lower back spasms. Just brutal.
Falcons’ Offense Has Elite Talent, But a Giant QB Hole
The Falcons are rolling into the 2026 season with a new head coach, Kevin Stefanski, after firing Raheem Morris following a disappointing 8-9 finish and third place in the NFC South last year. Stefanski, formerly with the Browns, inherits an offense that finished 8th in rushing yards per game (125.8) but a dismal 19th in passing yards per game (207.2) and 24th in points per game (20.8) in 2025. You look at their skill positions and wonder how they’re not lighting up the scoreboard. This team has three first-round talents: Bijan Robinson, their do-it-all running back, who just got a massive extension this offseason. Then there are the pass-catchers, Drake London and Kyle Pitts, both recent eighth and fourth overall picks respectively, who also signed big money deals this summer. That’s a serious collection of talent! But what good is it if you can’t get them the ball consistently?
The Quarterback Situation Is a Full-Blown Disaster
Here’s the rub: outside of the team Stefanski just left, the Falcons might have the worst quarterback situation in the entire NFL. Michael Penix Jr., another former eighth overall selection, isn’t healthy enough to play and ESPN’s Adam Schefter already reported he’d be inactive Sunday. That meant Tua Tagovailoa, the former Dolphin Miami paid nearly $52.8 million to play somewhere else, was supposed to start. But man, his preseason was rough. NBC even had a report yesterday ahead of the Patriots-Seahawks game (which, by the way, our Seahawks took down the Patriots 13-10! Go Hawks!) that stated if Tua got benched again, there was a strong possibility the Falcons would just cut him. We hadn’t even played a game yet, and that’s the talk? Now, with this new oblique injury, it’s just a total dumpster fire before the season even truly begins.
So, for the Falcons, the big question heading into Sunday isn’t just about their new coach, it’s who’s even gonna be under center. With Penix Jr. already inactive, if Tua can’t go, Atlanta is in a serious bind for Week 1. This is going to be a tough start for Stefanski and those talented offensive players.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Behind the Steel Curtain.
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