Newly signed Falcons quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will have an opportunity to compete for the starting job in Atlanta, where Michael Penix Jr. is recovering from a torn ACL he suffered in November, general manager Ian Cunningham said Friday.
“For Tua coming in here, he knows he’s coming in to compete, just like Michael knows he’s coming in to compete. Quite frankly, not just those two at the quarterback position, but everybody’s coming in to compete,” Cunningham told reporters. ”We’re excited to have Tua, but we’re excited to have all the players that we were able to get in this free agent class.”
Cunningham said he spoke with the agent for Penix before signing Tagovailoa, who was released this week by the Miami Dolphins, and new coach Kevin Stefanski talked to the young quarterback personally.
"You don’t want to blindside somebody,” Cunningham said. “We want to have open conversations and communication, and we feel like we did that in regards to Michael and Tua.”
Penix, who was drafted by the Falcons in 2024, threw for 1,982 yards, nine touchdowns and three interceptions last season before going down with the season-ending torn ACL in November. He was replaced by Kirk Cousins, who was released this week.
Penix is expected to be sidelined through the start of the 2026 season, giving Tagovailoa a potential opportunity to prove himself early.
Tagovailoa is coming off an up-and-down six-year stint in Miami, where the Dolphins signed him to a four-year, $212.4 million contract extension after he led the league in passing yards in 2023. Miami will owe him $54 million in 2026 as a result.
The following two seasons were turbulent, as the quarterback suffered his fourth documented concussion and his play regressed. He was benched for the final three games in 2025, signaling his time in Miami was over.
Tagovailoa threw for 2,660 yards, 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions last season.
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