The Atlanta Falcons are running out of time to decide on a starting quarterback. Michael Penix Jr. was the starter last season, but after a season-ending knee injury and the addition of Pro Bowl QB Tua Tagovailoa, the position is far from guaranteed to Penix.
Tagovailoa is trying to earn the starting job as well, but Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio doesn’t think he’s looked the part in the Falcons’ preseason action.
Mike Florio Takes Aim at Tua Tagovailoa’s Preseason Play
Tagovailoa’s play over the last few seasons, especially in 2025, has declined. He’s dealt with concussions and other team struggles, but he’s looked far from his best, and his best could be behind him. Florio claimed that Tagovailoa hasn’t been good in the preseason and doesn’t even look like he belongs in the NFL.
“Here’s a guy who’s in his seventh season, and he’s failing the eyeball test,” Florio said. “He’s progressively getting worse. His vision is getting worse every year, or ours is. It’s bad. It just doesn’t look like an NFL quarterback anymore.”
Tagovailoa is running out of time to prove that he belongs. Florio’s claim should sound alarms for both Falcons fans and the 28-year-old quarterback.
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Entering his seventh season, there isn’t any tolerance for poor play and mistake-prone football. There’s always room to learn each and every season, but there isn’t any grace for lack of experience anymore.
After his exit from Miami, where he was benched with three games to go, Atlanta took a flyer on him with the hope he’d return to form. He’s looked far from it, and his days as a starter in the NFL are seemingly numbered.
Although Penix hasn’t won the job either, he was slightly better than Tagovailoa in PFN’s QB Impact Metric in 2025. Penix ranked 26th while Tagovailoa finished 28th. Penix’s season was shorter than Tagovailoa’s because the former tore his ACL in Week 11 of last season.
It’s time for Tagovailoa to perform better immediately, as Penix has been fully cleared to participate in all practice activities.
Penix has a history of knee injuries, and the Falcons made sure that he was healthy before bringing him back into full practices. He won’t be playing in the team’s preseason finale, but at this point, he doesn’t need to. Tagovailoa’s unconvincing play has strengthened Penix’s case for the Week 1 starter role.
The Falcons will have offensive talent waiting to realize its full potential with good quarterback play. Bijan Robinson and Drake London are among the best weapons in the NFL and need to be fed the ball. Rookie WR Zachariah Branch is another interesting piece for this offense heading into this season, but once again, the worries at quarterback with Tagovailoa or potentially Penix are clouding the optimism in Atlanta.
