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NFL·INJURY·September 23, 2026 11:54 AM ET

Tua Tagovailoa trending toward backup QB role for Thursday

He recently missed practice time with an oblique issue.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Sep 231 min read
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Atlanta FalconsNFL
Tua Tagovailoa is "trending in the right direction" to serve as the backup QB to Michael Penix Jr. for Atlanta’s TNF mat

What happened: Tua Tagovailoa is trending in the right direction to back up Michael Penix Jr. for Atlanta's Thursday game against Green Bay. Head coach Kevin Stefanski noted the progress ahead of the primetime matchup.

Why it matters: Tagovailoa returned to practice this week after managing an oblique injury that previously kept him sidelined. His expected availability solidifies the quarterback depth chart on a short week of preparation.

What to watch: Final active statuses will be confirmed prior to kickoff on Thursday night.

Sources

Full injury report for NFL

More on Michael Penix Jr.

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