Atlanta Falcons Announce Tua Tagovailoa as Week 1 Starting Quarterback

The Atlanta Falcons have confirmed that Tua Tagovailoa will be the starting quarterback for their Week 1 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, replacing Michael Penix Jr.

Tagovailoa's selection comes as Penix continues to recover from an ACL injury, which influenced the decision. Tagovailoa, who was drafted fifth overall by the Miami Dolphins in 2020, has signed a one-year contract with the Falcons after being released by Miami this offseason.

In his previous season with the Dolphins, Tagovailoa played 14 games, achieving a completion rate of 67.7% with 2,660 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions. Meanwhile, Penix, who was drafted eighth overall by the Falcons in 2024, completed 60.1% of his passes for 1,982 yards, nine touchdowns, and three interceptions in nine games last season.