Tua Tagovailoa will open the Atlanta Falcons’ 2026 season under center.
The team said Monday that the former Alabama star will start Sunday’s opener at Pittsburgh, a notable early-season call with Michael Penix still working back from knee surgery after an injury late in the 2025 season.
Tagovailoa landed in Atlanta on a one-year, $1.3 million free agent deal after the Miami Dolphins released him. At 28, he arrives with a resume that still carries real weight: six NFL seasons, 18,166 passing yards, 120 touchdowns and 59 interceptions. He also made the Pro Bowl in 2023, even though last season ended with a career-high 15 interceptions in 14 games and a March release from Miami.
He got a look in two of Atlanta’s three preseason games. Against Denver on Aug. 14, he completed 3 of 5 passes for 22 yards.
Then on Aug. 28, he went 7-for-8 for 95 yards and lost a fumble. Veteran backup Cooper Rush and rookie free agent Jack split the snaps in the second preseason game against Indianapolis.
For Tagovailoa, this is another chance to reset the narrative. He was the 2018 Heisman Trophy runner-up for the Crimson Tide, and Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski pointed to that same competitive edge when talking about the quarterback’s mindset.
“You want to prove people wrong,” Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski said of Tagovailoa. “You have a chip on your shoulder.
I think where I’m coming into this, where Tua’s coming into this is, listen, this is not exactly how you thought it would go, but guess what, that’s the reality, and how are we gonna respond? I think that’s what he’s made of.
You look at his career, you look back at his college career, he’s responded.”
Falcons-Steelers is set for noon Central Sunday at AcriSure Stadium in Pittsburgh and will be televised regionally by Fox.
In Other News...
Tua Tagovailoa Just Got The Atlanta Chance Alabama Fans Wanted
For Alabama fans who kept wondering whether Tua Tagovailoa might finally get a fresh NFL stage, the Falcons have given him one. Atlanta announced that Tagovailoa will open the 2026 season as its starting quarterback after an offseason trade from the Miami Dolphins, putting him in line to lead a team that spent the summer sorting out its quarterback picture with Michael Penix Jr.
The assignment comes with an immediate test, too. The Falcons are set to begin the season on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers, so Tagovailoa will get his first chance to settle into the job under pressure and in front of a national audience. For Alabama backers, it is the kind of early-season storyline that ties their former star to a new opportunity and a new set of expectations right away. [Read more 🡒]
Keelon Russells Debut Left Alabama With One Clear Concern
Keelon Russells first Alabama appearance offered enough to see why the staff is so intrigued, but it also showed why the postgame film will matter. Against East Carolina, the freshman quarterback had stretches where he tried to make plays down the line instead of taking what was available underneath, and the overall snapshot was of a debut with some promise mixed with some decisions Alabama will want cleaned up quickly.
The same game also gave the Tide a useful look at other parts of the offense, from the tight ends working as both receivers and run blockers to concerns around Coleman-Williams mechanics. On the other side of the ball, freshman defensive back Jireh Edwards was around the action on the sideline even though he did not play after an August injury, leaving one more item for Alabama to monitor as the opener is absorbed and the depth chart keeps taking shape. [Read more 🡒]
Cole Cubelic Saw One Encouraging Sign In Keelon Russells Debut
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Cubelic liked the way Russell handled the offense, noting the timing on his throws and the way he used his legs when it mattered. Even with that encouraging first impression, Alabama still has a bigger-picture checklist to work through, and Cubelic pointed to the need to do a better job managing the edges as the Tide move deeper into the season. [Read more 🡒]