The Atlanta Falcons still haven’t named their starting quarterback for Week 1, and the situation is getting wild, especially for Tua Tagovailoa. What once looked like a clear path for Tua to take the QB1 job has completely unraveled, to the point where Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio is now openly wondering if Tagovailoa will even be on the roster after the cutdown deadline passes on August 30.
From Frontrunner to On the Bubble
Just this offseason, it felt like Tua was a lock for the starting spot in Atlanta. Michael Penix Jr. was out for most of training camp, recovering from a torn ACL, leaving Tua as the only “legitimate candidate.” Fast forward a few weeks from the start of the season, and Penix is back at practice, cleared for 11-on-11 drills, and the Falcons are still silent on who’s QB1. Florio laid it out, saying the Falcons don’t even know *when* they’ll name a starter. If Tua hasn’t won the job by now, after all that time with Penix sidelined, it definitely makes you wonder about their true feelings for him. Getting cut wouldn’t even hurt financially, since his contract is non-guaranteed. That’s a brutal reality check, folks.
‘Impossible’ Play Makes the Decision Clear
The reports out of Falcons practice haven’t been pretty for Tua, and his lone preseason showing wasn’t exactly a highlight reel either. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport dropped a bomb just days ago, revealing the team *wanted* Tua to be their starter to slowly ease Penix back into action. But Tua’s play? Rapoport said it made that plan “impossible.” Seriously, “impossible.” Not just in the preseason game everyone saw, but apparently in practice too. This isn’t just a tough camp; it’s a complete meltdown on the field for Tagovailoa. It feels like his level of play has just dipped so hard in recent years, hoping for a bounce-back in Atlanta might have been nothing but wishful thinking.
Penix’s Job for the Taking
So, where does that leave things? Rapoport made it clear: “this is Michael Penix’s job for the taking.” Penix brings way more upside than Tua, with superior athleticism and a bigger arm, even if he’s had his own issues since being drafted in the first round. To be fair, not all of Penix’s early struggles have been his fault; there’s been plenty of criticism about how Atlanta’s offense has been run since he arrived. New head coach Kevin Stefanski is supposed to change things up, but right now, the biggest change is how quickly the QB depth chart flipped.
The cutdown deadline is August 30. That’s Monday. Tua Tagovailoa’s future in Atlanta isn’t just about winning a starting job anymore, it’s about making the team at all. It’s a high-stakes few days ahead for the Falcons’ quarterback room.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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