Getty

Falcons' QB Michael Penix Jr.

The Atlanta Falcons have a lot of questions to answer in regard to their quarterback room.

According to CBS Sports’ Garrett Podell, the Atlanta Falcons have the fifth worst quarterback room in the league. Only the Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets, and the Pittsburgh Steelers are lower than Atlanta.

“Both Tagovailoa and Penix Jr. are injury risks, but Tagovailoa is the least injured of the two at the moment. Penix Jr. will likely return to the starting quarterback when healthy, but it would make sense for them to be cautious with his rehab.” Podell wrote.

Michael Penix Jr. Plagued With Injuries

It’s safe to say these questions began rise once Michael Penix Jr. went down with his injury.

Overall, Penix’s health has been a problem in the past. Penix Jr. entered the 2025 season as the starter for the Atlanta Falcons.

Before Michael Penix Jr. went down with an ACL injury, he completed 60.1 percent of his passes while throwing for 1,982 yards during the 2025 season. He had nine total touchdowns and 3 interceptions. Michael Penix Jr. is expected to be available to compete for the starting position in 2026.

“Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. tore his ACL in Week 11 against the Carolina Panthers.”  “That marks the third torn ACL of his football career and his first at the NFL level. His injury opens the door for Tagovailoa, who signed with Atlanta on a one-year, $1.215 million contract, to receive some early-season starts.” Podell wrote.

It would make sense that they would bring Tua Tagovailoa on board to establish some type of veteran presence.

Tua Tagovailoa and Trevor Siemian

Tagovailoa was signed by the Atlanta Falcons on March 9, 2026. He was officially signed to a one-year contract worth up to $1.3 million.

The new Atlanta Falcons quarterback was recently clear about competing for the starting position in Atlanta.

“If there’s no competition, I don’t think anyone’s getting better, in aspect of the field of work you’re in,” Tagovailoa said in an Atlanta Falcons article. “I am excited to be able to compete against [Penix], to compete with him, to be able to get to know my teammates on a personal level, knowing them from the outside in. We have a lot of good football players on this team, so I’m excited to get to play with these guys and get the chance to throw the ball around, conversate with them. I think it’s going to be great.”

Tua Tagovailoa revealed that he did not play up to his standard in 2025. The Miami Dolphins released the 28-year-old after the 2025 season.

On March 24th, the Atlanta Falcons signed veteran quarterback Trevor Siemian. The 34-year-old has been journeyman backup for the majority of his career. Trevor Siemian is a former seventh round pick out of Northwestern University. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in 2015.

Siemian, Tagovailoa, and Penix will battle it out in coming months as the Atlanta Falcons will prepare for the 2026 season.

This quarterback competition will be one of more anticipating competitions Atlanta has seen in a while. Penix Jr. and Tagovailoa will look to compete hard because both of their futures as starters may be in jeopardy. At the end of the day, only one man can start in Week 1 of the 2026 season.