The Atlanta Falcons will open their 2026 preseason with a new coach in place and a quarterback battle waiting to be settled.
Kevin Stefanski is now in charge after his years with the Browns, and the biggest decision on his plate is whether former first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. or Dolphins castoff Tua Tagovailoa will be the one taking snaps for Atlanta. The offense still has its core weapons intact, with Bijan Robinson, Kyle Pitts and Drake London all back.
On the other side of the ball, the secondary is led by Jessie Bates III and Xavier Watts, with rookie cornerback Avieon Terrell joining the mix as the brother of A.J. Terrell.
For fans looking to track the preseason, every Falcons exhibition game in 2026 will air locally on FOX 5 Atlanta. They’ll also be available to stream on fubo.
Atlanta’s preseason begins Friday, Aug. 14, when the Broncos come to town for a 7 p.m. ET kickoff.
The Falcons then head to Indianapolis to face the Colts on Saturday, Aug. 22 at 1 p.m. ET, before closing out the preseason on Friday, Aug. 28 at the Dolphins at 7 p.m.
ET.
Here’s the full Falcons preseason schedule:
Friday, Aug. 14 vs. Broncos - 7 p.m. ET - FOX 5 Atlanta, fubo
Saturday, Aug. 22 at Colts - 1 p.m. ET - FOX 5 Atlanta, fubo
Friday, Aug. 28 at Dolphins - 7 p.m. ET - FOX 5 Atlanta, fubo
For viewers using fubo, the service offers a free trial for new subscribers. It carries ESPN, ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and 100+ top channels of live TV and sports without cable.
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The Falcons’ 2026 regular-season slate is also set, starting Sunday, Sept. 13 at the Steelers at 1 p.m. ET on FOX.
Atlanta’s home opener comes the following week against the Panthers on Sunday, Sept. 20 at 1 p.m. ET, also on FOX.
The rest of the schedule includes a Thursday night trip to the Packers on Sept. 24 on Prime Video, a Monday night game at the Saints on Oct. 5 on ESPN, ABC and fubo, and a Sunday night matchup with the Ravens on Oct. 11 on NBC, Peacock and fubo. The Falcons also face the Bears, 49ers, Buccaneers, Bengals in Madrid, Chiefs, Vikings, Lions, Browns, Commanders and Saints again, with two later dates still listed as TBD against the Buccaneers and at the Panthers.
Week 11 is the bye week.
In Other News...
Falcons Quarterback Battle Just Took A Turn Fans Didn't Expect
The Falcons quarterback picture has shifted in a hurry, with Tua Tagovailoa now the name getting the first-team work in practice as the team moves through camp. Atlanta brought him in on a one-year deal after his release from Miami, and the early signs suggest the staff is giving him every chance to settle into the offense with the regular season approaching.
Michael Penix Jr. remains on the sideline for now, still not cleared for full participation while he recovers from knee surgery. That has left the door open for Tagovailoa to keep stacking reps and build momentum, but the situation is still fluid enough that the next update could matter a lot for how the Falcons map out their Week 1 plans. [Read more 🡒]
Xavier Watts Just Made The Falcons Face A Tough Jessie Bates Call
Xavier Watts has already given the Falcons something to think about after a rookie season that turned heads around the league. The young defensive back finished with five interceptions and finished as a Defensive Rookie of the Year finalist, the kind of first-year impact that can reshape a secondary and make a team start asking bigger-picture questions earlier than expected.
For Atlanta, the timing matters because Jessie Bates III remains the established voice on the back end, but the conversation now includes how much longer the Falcons can keep that pairing intact. With Watts showing the kind of playmaking and poise that usually speeds up a teams plans, Atlanta suddenly has a difficult decision to make about what comes next at safety, and whether its future at the position is already arriving faster than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Quarterback Battle Is Already Leaving Week 1 In Doubt
The Falcons were supposed to spend training camp sorting out their quarterback room, but the competition has barely gotten off the ground. Tua Tagovailoa is easing back into full team work after back tightness, while Michael Penix Jr. is continuing his recovery from ACL surgery, leaving Atlanta to manage the position carefully instead of diving into a true camp battle.
Michael Penix Jr. is still weeks away from full 11-on-11 practice, which makes the early weeks of camp feel more like a holding pattern than a showdown. To keep things moving, the Falcons brought in veteran Cooper Rush to take part in drills, giving the team another live arm while it waits for its two main quarterbacks to get closer to full strength. [Read more 🡒]