Tua Tagovailoa might be on a veteran minimum salary, but the prevailing sentiment suggests that he will be the Week 1 starter for the Atlanta Falcons in 2026. Of course, Michael Penix Jr. is still pretty much in the picture in Atlanta.
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Even though Kirk Cousins is officially out of the building, the public doesn’t seem to have much confidence in Penix Jr. After all, his starting record is a poor 4-8.
However, according to Johnny Manziel, the addition of Tagovailoa may just be an attempt to motivate the quarterback rather than bury him. “I have been a firm believer in Penix,” the Heisman trophy winner prefaced before giving his take on the Falcons QB room dynamics in the latest episode of his self-titled podcast.
“But I think those guys in that locker room are as well. So to bring another guy in, I guess, look, this is a chance for Tua to get behind him, push him, help him,” explained Manziel.
“For an offensive line that got their guy a little banged up last year, to have Tua come into a situation that he’s fragile at times, to say the least, is really interesting,” he added.
Talking about protection, the Falcons didn’t necessarily keep Penix Jr., or anyone else who happened to line up under center for them in 2025, for that matter, perfectly intact at all times. That said, it should also be noted that the team only allowed a total of 26 sacks last season.
That was the fourth-lowest total for any team in the league. And if they had allowed just three fewer, then they would have given up the least amount of any team in the NFL this past regular season. So, they know how to protect their quarterback.
However, Manziel doesn’t seem to believe that Tagovailoa will be able to make the most of that protection whenever he can find it. “Is this a year for Tua to come in and recreate his vibe, re-find himself, and when he does get his opportunities to get on the field, hopefully make the most of them?” he questioned.
Even though their quarterback room is a little less crowded than it was this time last year, the Falcons figure to once again be hosting one of the more interesting QB races of the offseason. Neither Penix Jr. nor Tagovailoa appears to have a convincing enough case to claim the de facto QB1 spot. At least, that’s what the franchise seems to have suggested by refusing to name either one of them as the presumed starter.
They may still be struggling with the disaster that was Cousins’ contract. But bringing in Tua signifies a new chapter for the QB position in Atlanta, and with Matt Ryan now in the building to offer up his guidance and assistance, the 2026 season may just prove to be one of the more productive ones in recent times for the Falcons.
