“He’s trending in the right direction.” That’s the word from Falcons Head Coach Kevin Stefanski on Wednesday, and it’s got everyone buzzing. Tua Tagovailoa, who’s been sidelined since an oblique injury took him out of commission before the season opener, is officially in play to be the QB2 for Thursday night’s showdown against the Packers. This dude was in line to start before the injury hit, so seeing him back in the mix, even as a backup, is a big deal.
The Road Back for Tagovailoa
This is a massive development for Atlanta, no doubt. Tua was upgraded to a full participant on the team’s estimated injury report on Tuesday, a clear sign he’s been grinding hard. Stefanski can’t say enough good things about his attitude throughout the whole ordeal. He called Tagovailoa an “awesome teammate,” and said he’s “working very, very hard to get himself back healthy.” The coach also made sure to highlight how “ultra supportive” Tua has been and called him a “great person to have around the building.” That kind of praise speaks volumes about how he’s handled being benched by injury.
Penix’s First Start and the Thursday Showdown
So, with Michael Penix Jr. set to make his first start since tearing his ACL midway through last season, having Tagovailoa even potentially on the sideline as backup brings a different kind of energy. Penix has a huge moment coming, but the return of an experienced guy like Tua in any capacity has to lift the whole squad. The Falcons are dropping their final injury report later on Wednesday, so we’ll know for sure then if Tua officially gets the backup nod for Thursday. You know everyone’s gonna be glued to that announcement.
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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