Tua Tagovailoa should stop Atlanta's annual quarterback reset

The Falcons have named six different Week 1 starters in six seasons.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Sep 71 min read

Falcons Week 1 starting QB by season: 🏈2021: Matt Ryan 🏈2022: Marcus Mariota 🏈2023: Desmond Ridder 🏈2024: Kirk Cousins Via @AdamSchefter on X

What happened: The Atlanta Falcons named Tua Tagovailoa their 2026 Week 1 starter after Michael Penix Jr. held the role in 2025. Kirk Cousins, Desmond Ridder and Marcus Mariota opened the previous three seasons.

Why it matters: Tagovailoa arrives with a 44-32 career record as an NFL starter. That proven track record makes another one-year reset unacceptable for Atlanta.

Sources

@AdamSchefter 2026-09-07T12:13:45.191335+00:00

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NFLHot_TakeAtlanta FalconsTua TagovailoaMichael Penix Jr.

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