The Atlanta Falcons found five players worthy of captain patches Thursday, but they still have not decided which quarterback will take the first snap of their season.
Atlanta named Bijan Robinson, Chris Lindstrom, Jessie Bates III, Divine Deablo, and Nick Folk as its 2026 captains with the Week 1 trip to Pittsburgh approaching. Neither Tua Tagovailoa nor Michael Penix Jr. made the group, giving fans another opening to clown a quarterback competition that has stretched into September.
Falcons’ Captain List Becomes QB Punchline
The Falcons confirmed the five-man group in their official announcement, with Robinson, Deablo and Folk earning season-long captain honors for the first time in Atlanta.
“Unserious franchise lol,” one fan wrote.
Unserious franchise lol https://t.co/Q39DZfUzK8
— Jaron B, LCSW (@Phroz3n_TriUmph) September 3, 2026
Another fan wanted the club to end the suspense altogether.
“Just start Michael Penix and move on please,” the user added.
Just start Michael Penix and move on please https://t.co/Tj6sEMZYsn
— Hamza #AJBROWNFCPRESIDENT (@hammytakes_) September 3, 2026
A third response decided Atlanta did not need a quarterback at all.
“Don’t need one. Just let Bijan run every snap,” the fan joked.
Don’t need one. Just let Bijan run every snap
— NFL Chaos (@NFLChaos) September 3, 2026
Not everybody blamed Atlanta for leaving both quarterbacks without a captain patch. “To be fair, I don’t blame them,” NFL writer Matt Verderame wrote.
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Another fan found the situation surprising but familiar, adding, “Nah that’s wild asl. But this isn’t the first time the Falcons have done this😅”
One fan wrote, “Absolute clown show in the front office, 2026 is already a wasted season.”
While another fan believed the team didn’t need a quarterback: “Don’t need one. Just let Bijan run every snap.”
Don’t need one. Just let Bijan run every snap
— NFL Chaos (@NFLChaos) September 3, 2026
The Penix omission stands out because he was one of Atlanta’s six captains in 2025. 12 months ago, the Falcons were publicly treating him as both QB1 and one of the locker room’s designated leaders. Now he is competing just to regain the starting job after tearing his ACL in November.
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The unusual timing also makes the captain announcement feel like a snapshot of Atlanta’s entire summer: leadership roles are settled almost everywhere except at the sport’s most important position.
Atlanta Still Hasn’t Settled Penix-Tua Competition
General manager Ian Cunningham said Wednesday that the Falcons want more evaluation before choosing their starter. Penix only returned to full 11-on-11 work late in August, while Tagovailoa received the cleaner preseason runway after signing with Atlanta in March.
The club even kept four quarterbacks on its initial roster: Penix, Tagovailoa, Cooper Rush, and rookie Jack Strand. Cunningham called that decision partly an “insurance policy” because of the injury risk and the development Atlanta saw from Rush and Strand.
There is not much separation in last year’s PFN numbers either. Penix finished 2025 with a 72.8 PFN QB Impact grade, No. 26 among qualifying quarterbacks. Tagovailoa was two spots behind him at 72.1 after throwing 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions for Miami.
Atlanta opens Sept. 13 at Pittsburgh, so Kevin Stefanski still has time to make the one announcement fans actually want.
The Falcons know who will walk to midfield with a “C” on their chest. Finding out who walks into the huddle first remains the harder part.
