Tua Tagovailoa is not on the Falcons — wait, actually, he is on the Falcons in 2026! He signed a $1.2M deal with Atlanta in the offseason (from the Tua Tagovailoa page). And yes, he's the current favorite to start Week 1.
Here's the situation:
- Tua has the edge right now. He's taken the bulk of first-team snaps at OTAs while Michael Penix Jr. recovers from his third ACL surgery. Current betting odds give Tua a 58% chance of starting Week 1 (from the Tua Tagovailoa page).
- Most analysts lean Tua. ESPN's Louis Riddick says "Tua should win this job if he stays healthy," and NFL.com's Matt Okada also predicts Tua starts Week 1 (though he thinks Penix could take over by Weeks 6-8 if Tua struggles).
- But it's not decided yet. HC Kevin Stefanski has said both QBs will get equal reps in training camp, rotating by period and drill. Penix is tracking ahead of schedule in his recovery and could push Tua hard come July.
Bottom line: Tua is the frontrunner to start Week 1 at Pittsburgh, but it's a legitimate competition that'll be settled in training camp. If you're drafting Falcons pass-catchers (Drake London, Kyle Pitts), Tua starting would be great for their value — Stefanski's quick-strike system fits Tua like a glove.