It’s been barely two years since drafting Michael Penix Jr., and the Atlanta Falcons appear to have landed right back where they started. The team signed Tua Tagovailoa to a one-year deal as a replacement for Penix. What was supposed to be a fresh start this year has raised an uncomfortable sense of deja vu, with former NFL nose tackle Breiden Fehoko, who questioned if Atlanta recreated the same problem in a different form.

“The Falcons drafted Michael Penix, a left-armed quarterback who is a one-read quarterback,” said Fehoko on the Fehoko Show. “Oh, does the ball look beautiful coming out of Michael Penix’s hand? Yes, it does. Beautiful… The guy just can’t play f—–g quarterback. So, this is organizational malpractice right here.”

“The Falcons saw a lefty quarterback who couldn’t do it. So, what did they do? They went and got the Polynesian version of Michael Penix. So, now that you don’t trust your first-round lefty draft pick, you are now tied down in quarterback purgatory that you now have the same exact quarterback. That’s just a duplicate version, and he’s just Polynesian. That’s the only difference between Michael Pennix and Tua: one’s black and wears a do-rag, and the other one sings hula hulu hakahaka honolulu. That’s the only difference between these two guys.”

He argued that the franchise duplicated the profile it already had at the QB position.

Penix’s 2025 stats raise questions about Atlanta‘s investment, though his struggles may stem from decision-making, not from being left-handed. In nine starts during the 2025 season, Penix threw for 1,982 yards, nine TDs, and three INTs, modest output for a first-round pick.

However, his efficiency declined dramatically as games progressed, especially after major knee injuries. His air yards fell to 1.7 yards per attempt compared to 2024. That drop-off, with concerns about his reduced downfield passing and decision-making, questioned whether Atlanta found its long-term answer at quarterback.

On the other hand, Tua Tagovailoa, who is of Samoan descent and was born in Hawaii, making him Polynesian, is slightly more polished in terms of accuracy and is more experienced than Penix. He, too, is left-handed, but excels at quick, accurate throws over the middle of the field. Tagovailoa has completed 68% of his career passes, and in 2024 he led the NFL with a 72.9% completion rate.

However, his biggest weakness is arm strength. He has struggled consistently to throw the ball deep, so the Miami Dolphins have often depended on their offensive system and talented receivers to gain extra yards after the catch.

In comparison, Penix brings a very different skill set. He has completed 59.6% of his passes during his short NFL career, but he is much more willing to throw downfield, especially to the intermediate and deep parts of the field. His receivers are often asked to make plays at the catch rather than catching short passes and gaining most of the yardage afterward.

For now, Atlanta has started with more than one QB for the fourth consecutive season in 2025, with Penix going 3-6 as a starter and Cousins going 5-3. This makes Fehoko’s argument important.

Atlanta has invested heavily in the position while continuously changing paths, creating questions about continuity and long-term planning. The team’s decision to draft the first-round pick, Penix, shortly after signing Cousins had already sparked debate around resource allocation.

Now, the Falcons have chosen Tagovailoa as their Week 1 starter for the 2026 season, while Penix continues recovering from an ACL injury.

Tagovailoa’s 2025 season saw a decline when he recorded 2,660 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions. Therefore, the Miami Dolphins moved on from him.

The former Miami quarterback was released in March 2026, and Atlanta signed him to a one-year deal, viewing the veteran as competition and insurance for Penix. The veteran QB brings experience, but the decision means Atlanta will once again enter a season with uncertainty around its long-term QB hierarchy.

Fehoko’s “quarterback purgatory” label may be harsh, but the unusual circumstances around the quarterbacks have made criticism difficult to ignore. Now the Falcons must prove that this is not just a temporary solution, but a solid move that can lead the franchise at its most important position.