Tua Tagovailoa will start Falcons' preseason opener but no QB1 named

The Atlanta Falcons have named a starting quarterback, but only for their preseason opener.

Atlanta coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters on Wednesday that Tua Tagovailoa will start the Falcons' first preseason game against the visiting Denver Broncos on Friday. He added, though, that the quarterback battle between Tagovailoa and incumbent starter Michael Penix Jr., who still hasn't been fully cleared after sustaining a torn ACL last November, still hasn't been decided.

"Looking forward to Tua getting his first action in the game in this system," Stefanski said. "There's a lot of newness for him as well, in terms of that kind of thing, first time in the building for him as a Falcon. Just understanding all the things that go with it."

Tagovailoa signed a vet-minimum one-year, $1.215 million contract with the Falcons in March after he was released by the Miami Dolphins, who took on nearly a $100 million salary-cap hit in dead money over the next two seasons by releasing him.

The former first-round pick (fifth overall) in 2020 completed 68% of his passes for 18,166 yards, 120 touchdowns and 59 interceptions over six seasons with the Dolphins.

Penix, a first-round pick (eighth overall) in 2024 by Atlanta, has completed 59.6% of his passes for 2,757 yards, 12 touchdowns and six interceptions over 14 games (12 starts) over two seasons with the Falcons.

He's been practicing in a limited capacity during training camp, but Stefanski said he still won't be cleared for 11-on-11 drills in next week's joint practice against the Indianapolis Colts.

Stefanski said the starters will play approximately 10 plays in the opening preseason game, with Tagovailoa set to be followed by veteran Cooper Rush and undrafted free agent Jack Strand at quarterback.

--Field Level Media