After Tua Tagovailoa’s six-year Miami Dolphins run, he is ready for a reset at the Atlanta Falcons, but there’s competition for the QB1 role. With Michael Penix Jr. in the mix, the road ahead will not be easy. The 28-year-old could’ve felt the pressure, but his latest honest comments took a different stance on going head-to-head with a younger Penix.

“I am excited to be able to compete against (Michael Penix Jr.), said Tua Tagovailoa recently,” To compete with him, to be able to get to know my teammates on a personal level, knowing them from the outside.”

Tua and Penix experienced similar struggles during the 2025 season. Just like the former Dolphins star, Penix was initially picked as the starting signal caller for his franchise, but his season was largely disappointing. Tagovailoa’s excitement for potential competition shows their similarities.

After taking over the starting QB role in the late 2024 season, the 25-year-old started the first nine games, and his team lost 6 and won only 3.

That being said, he did secure 1,982 passing yards with an average 60% completion rate (ranking 32nd out of 53 QBs) and 10 touchdowns. Soon, a familiar ghost of his past emerged to make matters worse. After a season-ending ACL injury, veteran Kirk Cousins took over his role.

On the other hand, Tua had been the starting QB for the past few seasons, but he endured a disastrous season. He didn’t have a season-ending injury like Penix, but he played 14 games before getting benched for the rookie Quinn Ewers, and the reason was his poor production. That being said, the numbers still favor Tua.

The experienced QB managed 2,660 passing yards, which was below his expected standard, and a career-high 15 interceptions were his notable shortcomings throughout the season. Still, his 67.7% completion ranked in the top-10 completion percentages, unlike Penix’s.

What makes the quarterback competition even more intriguing is a rare quirk under center. For the first time, two left-handed quarterbacks will be able to rotate without forcing major adjustments to the play design.

Earlier, Michael Penix Jr. alternated with right-hander Kirk Cousins, while Tua Tagovailoa shared reps with Quinn Ewers, situations that naturally changed protection looks and rollout directions.

Now, with both signal-callers throwing left-handed, the offense can stay structurally the same. In fact, lefties remain a rarity across the league, with only three active starters: Penix, Tagovailoa, and Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel.

Moreover, new head coach Kevin Stefanski is known to implement competitions under center.

During his time with the Cleveland Browns, Kevin Stefanski showed a clear tendency to keep quarterback competitions open deep into camp. This happened just last year when veteran Joe Flacco battled rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel for the starting job after injuries sidelined Deshaun Watson.

With two quarterbacks in contrasting phases of their careers, the race for the Falcons’ quarterback position could turn into an exciting duel. As the fans continue to anticipate who will be the starter for the 2026 campaign, their general manager recently gave a fresh update on the situation.

Falcons GM hints at open quarterback battle

Although Michael Penix Jr. was guaranteed a starting role last year, it will be different this season. With Kirk Cousins’ exit and the new arrival of Tua Tagovailoa, Kevin Stefanski will not make any quarterback a guaranteed starter next season, at least that’s what the General Manager, Ian Cunningham, implied.

“We’re not in the business of really handing out starting positions in February and March, the same, right?” said Cunningham in a recent virtual press conference. “For Tua coming in here, he knows he’s coming in to compete, just like Michael (Penix Jr.) knows that he’s coming in to compete.”

Handing the starter’s role to Michael Penix Jr. was never going to be a straightforward call, and not just because of the competition from Tua Tagovailoa.

Durability has followed Penix throughout his career, with the quarterback suffering multiple ACL tears during his time at Indiana before entering the league. The injuries twice ended his college seasons and forced long rehabilitation stretches, leaving teams cautious about his long-term availability.

During the Week 11 game against the Carolina Panthers, Penix partially tore his ACL, which sidelined him for the remainder of the season. Now, there is a possibility that he might not feature in the first few games, which could automatically make Tua a starter, at least during Week 1.

The former Pro-Bowler has one year to convince the Falcons that he can still play at the NFL level. In contrast to his previous $53-million per annum contract with the Dolphins, his prove-it deal will pay him only $1.2 million.

That contract will be void after the end of the 2026 campaign. Should he manage to play at the same level he showed earlier in his career, Cunningham might be inclined to keep him for a few more seasons, considering he will not have touched 30 yet.