Atlanta just officially named Tua Tagovailoa their Week 1 starting quarterback over Michael Penix Jr., but hold up, because Penix is absolutely still on track in his recovery from a torn ACL. According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, the guy is “fully cleared.” Yeah, you read that right.
The “Fully Cleared” QB Who Isn’t Starting
So, if Penix is cleared, what gives? Breer explained that Penix is “still working his way back from the injury, so Atlanta’s being careful here.” This isn’t Tua straight-up beating him out, it’s about Penix’s readiness. Penix suffered a partially torn ACL in November, forcing season-ending surgery. He didn’t even sniff the field in Atlanta’s three preseason games, and he wasn’t cleared for 11-on-11 team drills until the final week of training camp. Still, the 26-year-old told reporters just last month that he felt healthy enough to start in Week 1. That’s a confident dude right there, isn’t it? Breer even added that Penix could be in uniform this Sunday for their season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Imagine that, fully cleared, ready to go, but sitting. This situation is wild, especially for a team that’s basically been playing musical chairs at QB for years.
Tua’s Shot at Redemption, and Atlanta’s QB Carousel Continues
This marks the sixth straight year the Falcons will kick off the season with a new starting quarterback. Talk about instability! They scooped up Tagovailoa on a one-year deal after the Miami Dolphins cut him, taking a jaw-dropping $99.2 million hit in dead cap just to get him off their books. Tua started two preseason games, going 3-of-5 for 22 yards against the Denver Broncos and 7-of-8 for 95 yards against the Dolphins. Not exactly lighting up the scoreboard, right? ESPN’s Marc Raimondi even pointed out that the six-year veteran “was unable to push the ball downfield with regularity,” a problem that apparently lingered from training camp practices. Oh, and he fumbled a snap in both preseason outings. Yikes. With the NFL season kicking off and our reigning champion Seattle Seahawks getting hyped in the Week 1 Power Rankings, drama like this keeps things interesting across the league.
So, for now, it’s Tagovailoa trying to prove he can be a dependable starter for the Falcons. But make no mistake, Penix is gonna get his shot eventually. He’s cleared, he’s hungry, and Atlanta better be ready for when that switch flips. The question isn’t *if* Penix gets his chance, it’s *when*, and what happens to the Falcons’ season when he does.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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