Orlovsky: Falcons could turn to Penix if Tagovailoa slips

Penix will be inactive for Sunday's opener in Pittsburgh

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Sep 71 min read

"If Tua's playing well enough he'll keep the job. But If he's not, it'll go to Michael Penix." @danorlovsky7 weighs in Via @ESPNNFL on X

What happened: Atlanta named Tua Tagovailoa its Week 1 starter after a summer competition, with Cooper Rush set as the game-day backup. The Falcons weighed quarterback work dating to April in making the decision.

Why it matters: Dan Orlovsky framed the selection as performance-dependent, saying strong play would keep Tagovailoa in the job. Penix remains a potential alternative once he returns to the active game-day rotation.

By the numbers: Tagovailoa completed 10 of 13 preseason passes for 117 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions and a 103.7 passer rating.

What to watch: Tagovailoa's performance in Pittsburgh will provide the first test of Atlanta's plan, while Penix's status after Week 1 will clarify the depth chart.

Sources

@ESPNNFL 2026-09-07T18:16:21.038791+00:00

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