Tagovailoa took part in the Falcons’ preseason finale against the Dolphins. He completed seven out of eight passes for 95 yards, splitting reps with Cooper Rush and Jack Strand. Stefanski, preparing for his first year as the Falcons’ coach, reflected on Tagovailoa’s performance after the game.

“I thought Tua did a nice job operating, obviously moving the football for a couple drives. Plenty to clean up. An avoidable center-to-quarterback exchange. We have to clean that up. And we will. I thought by and large, [he] operated,” Stefanski said, per reporter Marc Raimondi.

Tua’s performance and the QB decision

Tagovailoa has been going down to the wire with Michael Penix Jr. for the Falcons’ starting job. With the preseason over, it is up to Kevin Stefanski to make the important decision.

The Falcons ended the preseason with a 2-1 record, coming out of the finale with a 17-12 win over the Dolphins. Atlanta did all of its damage in the first half, scoring all 17 points as the team prevented Miami from getting a touchdown at any point in the contest.

Brian Robinson Jr. led the rushing attack with five carries for 17 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, Kyle Pitts Sr. caught three passes for 57 yards, and Jack Velling made four receptions for 30 yards and a touchdown.

Tagovailoa‘s night ended in the second quarter after he completed 7 of 8 passes for 95 yards. Quarterback Cooper Rush replaced him at quarterback for the Falcons. The game marked a memorable return for Tagovailoa to Miami while establishing the start of his tenure in Atlanta.

“Everything we do around this building is competing,” Stefanski said in his press conference. “I know it’s easy to say, ‘position battles,’ and those types of things, but we’re constantly competing. That’s not the focus for our guys. Our guys are pushing each other by showing up and putting in the work.”

The coach is also encouraged by Penix Jr.’s progress during the preseason. “[T]he new part for Mike is just being in there in with a full offensive line, a full defensive line, but he’s been in walkthrough huddles, he’s been in 7-on-7, he’s obviously gone through individuals. So, this is a good — now that Mike is cleared — it’s good that he can start that process of getting back to 11-on-11.”

More options in the Falcons’ QB room

During the Falcons’ latest 34-6 win over the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium, Jack Strand was one of the biggest standouts. Despite his strong performance, Stefanski said his role will ultimately be determined between the backup and third-string positions depending on the circumstances.

“At this point, Jack’s going to work with the twos and threes, but very excited about his development,” Stefanski said. “But it goes back to the earlier point of like all of our young players, we have a plan to bring them along and develop them. And the player development is a huge part of what we do, whether you’re talking about quarterback position, the linebacker position, nose tackle, I don’t care. Player development is important to us and being intentional about how we bring players along is important to us.”

Another test for Atlanta

Like most NFL teams, the Atlanta Falcons have three games on their preseason schedule. They opened with a 27-7 home loss to the Denver Broncos before bouncing back on the road against the Indianapolis Colts.

Atlanta’s third and final preseason test will interestingly take Tua Tagovailoa back to South Florida. On Friday, August 28, Kevin Stefanski’s team will face the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium in the final preseason game for both teams.

A tough start to the season for the Falcons

Penix Jr. or Tagovailoa, whoever ends up being the starter for the Falcons this season, knows it won’t be easy. High-risk road trips and key divisional matchups await this team during the opening stretch of the campaign.

• at Pittsburgh Steelers, September 13 – Week 1
• vs Carolina Panthers, September 20 – Week 2
• at Green Bay Packers, September 24 – Week 3
• at New Orleans Saints, October 5 – Week 4
• vs Baltimore Ravens, October 11 – Week 5

Atlanta’s offense struggled to generate much production during Tagovailoa’s brief time on the field. “There’s plenty to clean up,” Stefanski said, according to The Associated Press. “I thought it was great being in our building, for a lot of us being in here for the first time.”

Tagovailoa played only nine snaps, completing three of five passes for 22 yards. Atlanta Falcons failed to score during either of his two possessions, with both drives ending in punts. Stefanski acknowledged that the offense “didn’t move the ball well” but stopped short of drawing any major conclusions about Tagovailoa based on such limited action. “It’s hard to give a grade on that sample size,” Stefanski said.

What Stefanski needs to fix with Tua

Stefanski and Atlanta Falcons face a tough task this offseason as they must make the most of their time to improve in areas where they failed, build chemistry, and optimize Tagovailoa’s performance.

The preseason represents an important adjustment period for Tagovailoa after spending the first six seasons of his NFL career with the Miami Dolphins. Atlanta signed the veteran quarterback following his release from Miami this offseason, giving him an opportunity for a fresh start with Stefanski and Atlanta Falcons.

Stefanski knows all too well about having a circus in the quarterback room, and having another in Atlanta is simply not ideal. That is why, after his 2026 preseason debut, Tagovailoa cannot be the starting quarterback for the 2026 season. Unless Penix is simply not healthy, there is no way Stefanski starts his new job on the right foot by playing Tagovailoa. Some of the same problems that forced Miami to release him are starting to affect him in Atlanta.

Falcons waiting on Penix

There are still two more preseason games left for Tagovailoa to prove he should remain in the QB1 race. The more he struggles, the more Atlanta Falcons have reason to turn to Penix. It also proves why the Falcons’ quarterback room was always in shambles with Penix and Tagovailoa to choose from. Only time will tell us how this situation unfolds.

“Nothing too serious, just a caution kind of thing where we’re not rushing it. It was just a flare-up, nothing big, not anything long-term. We’ll be fine,” Tagovailoa said on NFL Network.

After his stint with the Miami Dolphins, where his final seasons were marked by concussions and inconsistent performances, Tua is looking for a fresh start this time with the Falcons. It will not be an easy task, as he will face strong competition from Michael Penix Jr.

The competition with Penix Jr.

Kevin Stefanski was appointed by the Falcons’ front office as their new head coach, and his main task right now is deciding whether Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penix Jr. will be the starter in Week 1. Both quarterbacks are dealing with different injuries and are trying to catch their new HC’s attention during the 2026 training camp, while maintaining a healthy internal competition.

“I view it as a competition. I understand he can’t take some team reps right now because of what he’s going through, but he’s still being able to compete in seven-on-seven, he’s still able to go through some plays,” Tagovailoa said. “It’s definitely a competition.”

What injuries do Tagovailoa and Penix Jr. have?

Michael Penix Jr. is in the final stages of his recovery from a torn ACL suffered in November 2025, remaining limited in 11-on-11 drills while working toward full medical clearance. Meanwhile, Tua Tagovailoa has been held back early in camp as a precaution due to a minor lower back tightness/sprain, though he is expected to return to full practice shortly.

The Falcons’ season opener

The Falcons want to become the competitive team they were not long ago, the one that reached a Super Bowl, and to achieve that, they will need to get off to a strong start to establish themselves as contenders in the NFC.

• Week 1, at Pittsburgh Steelers – September 13
• Week 2, vs Carolina Panthers – September 20
• Week 3, at Green Bay Packers – September 24
• Week 4, at New Orleans Saints – October 5
• Week 5, vs Baltimore Ravens – October 11

In any case, according to insider Will Fadden, the coach stated that Penix is “right where he needs to be” in his recovery. This is extremely positive for the team.

At a time when teams are starting to reveal their first moves, the battle for the QB1 spot in Atlanta is still uncertain. So far, everything indicates that Tua might be the starter, although there is still plenty of time before the season begins.

What injury did Penix Jr. suffer?

Michael Penix Jr. is currently recovering from a partially torn ACL in his left knee suffered during Week 11 of the 2025 NFL season against the Carolina Panthers. This latest injury is particularly significant because it is the third ACL tear of his career and his first major injury at the professional level.

Bijan Robinson is ready for his QBs

Even amid the uncertainty about who will start as the Falcons’ quarterback, the rest of the players must adapt quickly. Bijan Robinson made it clear that he will give his all for his team.

“Like I say every year, I am just trying to be better than the last year, in all aspects of my game,” Robinson said via the team’s website. “My leadership, my faith, everything, who I am as a person. I am just trying to be a lot better than I was the year before, even when it comes to my goals on the field, off the field.”

Falcons are already thinking about the Draft

Kevin Stefanski’s Falcons will be absent from the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft due to a major trade made during the previous year’s event. In a move to bolster their pass rush, the front office traded their 2026 first-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for the opportunity to move up and select edge rusher James Pearce Jr.

This gamble has left the team with limited draft capital this year, forcing the Falcons current management make an aggressive strategy to navigate the roster-building process without a Day 1 selection:

• 2nd round: Pick 48
• 3rd round: Pick 79
• 4th round: Pick 122
• 6th round: Pick 215
• 7th round: Pick 231

“Tua was a good fit for us,” the head coach said while speaking to NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo. “I think the football fit, the personal fit, I think he’s looking for a place where he can go and compete for a starting job, and that’s what we are offering to him.

“I think he’s somebody that has always competed in career, look back at his time at Alabama, so him coming in, and he wants to do what’s best for this football team, we’re excited to have him.”

The internal competition currently centers around Michael Penix Jr., who is still recovering from a serious injury. Will Tua ultimately be Kevin Stefanski’s choice as the starter?

Tua aims to prove he’s still got it

Tua Tagovailoa’s final stretch in South Beach was far from productive. In fact, in the Miami Dolphins’ latest outings, the decision to bench him was a clear indication that his performance fell short of expectations.

His 15 interceptions in the last season undoubtedly carried more weight than his 20 touchdowns or 2,660 yards. Now, it’s time for the quarterback to redeem himself, start from scratch, and show the Atlanta Falcons why he was brought in.

When will Michael Penix Jr. return to the field?

Following his season-ending injury in November 2025, and his third career ACL surgery, Michael Penix Jr. is expected to be medically cleared by April 2026 and aims to return to the field at some point during training camp this summer.

Appearing on the Downs 2 Business podcast, Browns running back Quinshon Judkins spoke on the difference between both coaches. “It’s not what I thought it would have been, I say that in a good way… I thought he was going to be like, more so like — because my past coach [Kevin Stefanski], he was like really even-keeled, like super quiet. I thought I was going to get that from Coach Monken, but it wasn’t that. Like, he was like a real player’s coach. Like, you know, like, ‘Give me a hug,’ like all that.”

Then, Judkins then said, “…So he was just super communicative of what he wanted from the team, what his goal is, what his objective is, what he wants to come in and do… He has a vision. And I think that’s what’s important as a head coach, and especially being vocal about it, too. I think that’s what matters.”

Stefanski has his own culture-setting period in Atlanta

While Stefanski is catching strays, the fact is he needs to be focusing on galvanizing his new players on the Falcons. The team needs to settle on its quarterback situation. The Browns also have Shedeur Sanders in uncertainty, but the Falcons are facing the a similar situation with Michael Penix Jr.

Now, Stefanski has quite a lot of talent to work with besides the QB. The Browns are not as stacked. Overall, the coach should be ecstatic of having that much talent to his disposal, something he didn’t have much on the Browns.

Judkins himself needs to work on bouncing back

While Judkins is out there appearing on podcasts, his main goal is to go back to top form. In 14 games during his rookie year, Judkins racked up 256 touches and 998 scrimmage yards. He was balling out before suffering a gruesome leg injury.

While it’s true that the team’s overall results fell short of expectations in the Dawg Pound, what truly mattered was the valuable game experience the young quarterback gained down the stretch of the season.

During a recent interview on the latest episode of Pardon My Take, the now-head coach in Atlanta spoke about what it meant to have Shedeur as QB1 with the Browns, and the pleasure that experience represented for him.

“I will say this: I love Shedeur. I loved coaching him, seriously. He’s got the right makeup for this game, he was wired the right way. I wish that we won more, obviously, but if you saw how he played down the stretch, I mean, he’s a young player that’s getting better. I’m not coaching him anymore, so I know I have to be careful about talking about other players, but I am rooting for him.”

Will Shedeur remain QB1 with the Browns?

A new NFL season is right around the corner, and the Cleveland Browns are among the teams expected to make a strong push to enter the AFC North title race. The question many are asking right now is whether Todd Monken will ultimately bet on Shedeur’s talent to lead this team.

Cleveland has several options on the table to add a new quarterback to its roster. In fact, Carson Beck even sent a warning to Sanders about the possibility of being selected in the upcoming Draft.

Even with plenty of time ahead, both the front office and the new coaching staff are carefully analyzing the next steps. As of now, Shedeur appears to be the leading candidate to start, though he can’t rest on his laurels—Dillon Gabriel is right behind him, and his spot could also be at risk with the arrival of another quarterback to the team.

Despite the reports that the Falcons will release Kirk Cousins, that doesn’t mean Michael Penix Jr. will just be handed the QB1 role of the Falcons. Per Ryan, “Quarterback’s obviously very important and we’re excited about Mike and what he’s doing with his rehab. I’ve been up at the facility the last three weeks, and Michael’s been in there attacking that and he’s in a good space right now, so we’re excited about where he is at. But certainly, a lot of discussions for us about the entire roster.”

So, what at first looked like an endorsement from Ryan, then ended with a concerning quote. While Penix was a first-round pick two years ago, he hasn’t been able to live up to the hype, and then suffered a gruesome knee injury.

Stefanski has always worked with QBs under duress

Stefanski went from Baker Mayfield to Deshaun Watson to Shedeur Sanders, among many other quarterbacks, during his time as HC of the Browns. Hence, he knows how to make the most of not great quarterbacks. He got Deshaun Watson post his prime, and Baker Mayfield before his prime. Still, he had the Browns in the playoffs twice, and won Coach of the Year twice despite all of that.

Therefore, it’s likely Stefanski would try to work with Penix. However, given Penix’s injury history, one might assume the Falcons would try to get someone to compete with him, or be able to carry the team if Penix can’t regain either his fitness or his form.

The Falcons have the talent to become a big-time offense

The Falcons have four skill players drafted in the first round in Penix, wide receiver Drake London, tight end Kyle Pitts, and running back Bijan Robinson. London, Pitts, and Robinson are regarded as generational talents, and the offensive line is also good. Hence, there is no reason why this team has struggled that much.

Stefanski loves a scheme where he commands a wide-zone running game with heavy play-action usage. He developed that under Gary Kubiak and is also influenced by the Shanahan’s. This scheme actually should help the Falcons players to maximize their output.

According to NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, who reported the news on X, the Falcons have hired Alex Van Pelt as their new quarterbacks coach. This won’t be the first time Van Pelt and Stefanski work together within the same franchise.

What’s the story behind it? Van Pelt served as the Browns’ offensive coordinator under Kevin Stefanski from 2020 to 2023, a stretch in which the team made significant noise during several of its campaigns in the AFC North.

Now in the NFC, the two will work together once again—this time with a different level of experience. The expectation is that the Falcons will be able to fully unlock the potential of Michael Penix Jr. and the rest of their offense.

Putting the Falcons back in the spotlight

The arrival of Kevin Stefanski as the new head coach of the Atlanta Falcons marks a definitive push to restore the franchise to elite status, with the immediate goal of reclaiming the NFC South crown.

Tasked by President of Football Matt Ryan to instill a culture of toughness and accountability, Stefanski aims to transform a roster that finished 2025 with an 8-9 record into a legitimate postseason contender.

However, his path to a quick turnaround faces a significant hurdle: the Falcons enter the 2026 offseason without a first-round draft pick, having traded it to the Los Angeles Rams last year in a deal to move up for pass rusher James Pearce Jr.

Without a top selection to land a blue-chip prospect, Stefanski must rely on his proven ability to maximize existing talent—specifically developing Michael Penix Jr. and optimizing playmakers like Bijan Robinson—to navigate a wide-open division and put Atlanta back on the NFL map.

Despite this, Stefanski holds a special fondness for these two players, who saw playing time during their rookie season. During a recent appearance on the Dan Patrick Show, the head coach reflected on his time with Sanders and Gabriel.

“Those two young players, I loved those guys. I loved coaching them. I loved their development. As a coach, why we do this is you take a player and you try to get a little more out of them. You try to develop them. I want to get this guy better at that,” Stefanski said.

“Both those guys you can point to their rookie seasons and say man they got better in these areas. Ultimately, we want to continue to improve those guys and both of them will. I think very highly of those two young men.”

A new era in Cleveland

The Cleveland Browns have officially entered a new era by hiring Todd Monken as their head coach, a move that signals a major shift toward an aggressive, pass-heavy offense. Monken, who previously led high-powered units in Georgia and Baltimore, now faces the critical task of stabilizing a quarterback room that has seen constant turnover.

While Shedeur Sanders finished the 2025 season as the starter—recording 1,400 passing yards, 7 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions across 8 games—his status as QB1 for 2026 remains a subject of intense debate. Although Monken shared a viral moment with Sanders upon his arrival, admitting he had “tried to draft him” while with the Ravens, the front office has yet to officially commit.

With a 68.1 passer rating in his rookie campaign, Sanders will likely have to compete in training camp against potential veteran additions or high-draft picks to prove he is the long-term answer for Monken’s system.