Falcons 2026 Quarterback Battle Heats up During OTAs
Another week of OTAs is nearing its end, which means even more stories and drama will eventually spill into training camp. Two quarterbacks for the Atlanta Falcons have been making headlines across the NFL sphere for reasons that may leave the Falcons’ brass groaning and rolling their eyes. Regardless, there is a quarterback battle currently brewing in Flowery Branch. With each subsequent week of OTAs, the question remains: Who will win the starting job for the 2026 NFL season?
2026 seems like a make-or-break year for both quarterbacks fighting for the starting job. The two lefties, Michael Penix and Tua Tagovailoa, both struggled during their 2025 campaigns. Last year was marred by frustrating inconsistency and poor play from both quarterbacks. Penix is coming off a season-ending ACL tear, his third major leg injury in his long football career. Entering OTAs, still recovering from the injury, Penix looks to make up ground from the games he missed the year prior. Tagovailoa, on the other hand, had a nightmarish 2025 season. The former Miami Dolphin finished last year with 16 total turnovers, tied for the second-most among quarterbacks, which led to his eventual benching and subsequent release once the offseason rolled around.
Despite the poor play, Tagovailoa looks to turn a new leaf in Atlanta, hoping to return to his 2023 Pro Bowl form, in which he led the entire NFL in passing yards. Meanwhile, Penix is entering his third year as a pro, looking to recover from the ACL tear and, most importantly, improve on his inconsistent play from the year prior. So far, both quarterbacks have been given about the same number of reps to impress the coaching staff enough to win the job. So far, they’ve both been on point and have received high praise from head coach Kevin Stefanski. Tagovailoa seems to have already found a connection with third-round rookie Zachariah Branch, throwing a beautiful deep route to the Georgia prospect for a touchdown. There is still a lot of work that needs to be done by both quarterbacks, and they’ll be under the watchful eye of former MVP and current team president, Matt Ryan. Ryan has attended each OTA session and seems to be a pivotal voice in determining who wins the starting job. The head-to-head quarterback battle will only grow more intense as each week passes.
