The Atlanta Falcons will have a new quarterback for their season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 13. Former Miami Dolphins star Tua Tagovailoa, who joined Atlanta this offseason, was named the starter over Michael Penix Jr. on Monday. The news came as a surprise as head coach Kevin Stefanski looks to mark a new beginning with the Falcons after his controversial stint in Cleveland.
His poor handling of the quarterback competition with Shedeur Sanders in the spotlight made headlines, and he will be expected not to make the same mistake again. The Falcons have apparently had six different Week 1 starting QBs over the last six seasons. It appears fans are not very enthusiastic about the QB decision.
NFL Fans React to Falcons’ Tua Tagovailoa Decision
After a brief stint with the Dolphins, the 28-year-old quarterback comes with a lot of hope in 2026. He was released by the Dolphins in March, with the team taking a record $99.2 million in dead cap to part ways with him. Subsequently, the Falcons signed him to a one-year, $1.3 million deal.
Tagovailoa will more or less see this as an opportunity to prove himself and get his career back on track. Atlanta fans, however, feel Penix Jr. could have been a better option.
According to an X user, this move will pave the way for Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning to make his way to Atlanta, as he believes the Falcons could find themselves near the bottom of the win-loss standings.
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“Welcome to Atlanta Arch Manning,” he wrote.
welcome to atlanta arch manning https://t.co/VGtC2IjcKE
— jen :p (@Thefowpt2pt2) September 7, 2026
Another user, baffled by the Falcons’ decision, shared a GIF of Penix and Tagovailoa, writing, “BRUH HOW.”
BRUH HOW pic.twitter.com/1vTJHfikxv
— Onyx Odds (@OnyxOdds) September 7, 2026
“We gotta stop giving them our money,” said another Falcons fan while venting his frustration.
While this user has already lost hope in the team, “Falcons should just tank and go get Moore or Arch.”
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This fan, Jalen Driver, couldn’t wrap his head around the QB move and was even ready to let go of the infamous 28-3 collapse in the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots.
“I survived 28-3 but this in person might be the final dagger man,” he wrote.
I survived 28-3 but this in person might be the final dagger man https://t.co/Pp0DN5mKxw
— Jalen Driver (@driver_jalen) September 7, 2026
“Truly insane to start Tua at this stage of his career. I mean, this would be like if Underdog deleted Draft Games and replaced it with Pack Rips,” wrote another fan.
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Tagovailoa, who ranked 28th on PFN’s QB Impact Metric last season, started two games this preseason. He played two drives in the preseason opener against the Denver Broncos and completed 7-of-8 passes for 95 yards in the preseason finale at Miami on Aug. 28.
On the other hand, Penix Jr. was recovering from an ACL tear he suffered in November 2025 and had been rehabbing before getting cleared in the final weeks of training camp.
The quarterback gamble could prove decisive for Stefanski, too, as all eyes will be on him when the Falcons take the field against the Steelers. The Falcons’ leadership is looking to finally end the team’s eight-year postseason drought, and this move could become a foundation for that goal. If things go south, Penix Jr. could potentially find himself back as the starting quarterback.
