The Atlanta Falcons announced Tua Tagovailoa as their starting quarterback for the season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers. This decision came on Monday, with Tagovailoa chosen over Michael Penix Jr. Penix, who had been competing for the starting spot, recently returned to full practice after recovering from a torn ACL.
However, Tagovailoa’s availability for Sunday’s game was put in doubt. On Friday, he missed the open portion of practice due to an oblique injury sustained on Thursday. Consequently, the Falcons have ruled him out for the game against the Steelers, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport.
Michael Penix Jr.’s performance last season was disappointing before his injury. He was the starter following Kirk Cousins’ departure. In comparison, Tagovailoa’s preseason performance was even less impressive. Across two games, he completed 10 of 13 passes for 117 yards, without any touchdowns or interceptions. This lack of performance failed to inspire confidence for the regular season.
Tagovailoa was outperformed by the team’s other quarterbacks, veteran Cooper Rush and undrafted rookie Jack Strand. With Penix already ruled out for Week 1, Cooper Rush will start against the Steelers in place of Tagovailoa, and Strand will serve as the backup quarterback.
Oblique strains can heal in one to three weeks if minor but may require more time if severe. Regardless of the injury’s duration, missing even one start is a significant setback for Tagovailoa. Fans have expressed doubts about his capabilities as a starter and may now look towards other quarterback options for the Falcons.
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