Despite the sour way he parted with the Miami Dolphins, Tua Tagovailoa knows he still has the talent to start in the NFL. The Hawaiian southpaw believes he is given a fresh start with the Atlanta Falcons, where he is looking forward to competing with Michael Penix Jr. for the starting quarterback job in 2026.
Penix returns as the Falcons' incumbent starter, but Tagovailoa expects the competition to ramp up in training camp. The 28-year-old still believes the “best football is ahead” of him, he told Falcons.com.
“I'm looking for a fresh start, but a fresh start in the sense of being able to compete, being able to go back out there and playing good football,” Taogvailoa said. “I think the best football is still ahead of me.”
Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham confirmed he signed Tagovailoa to compete with Penix, leaving the Week 1 job wide open for either to obtain. Not only does Tagovailoa know he has the experience edge, but he recalls competition in and winning a similar situation with Jalen Hurts while at Alabama.
“I am no stranger to competition,” Taogvailoa said. “Had it in college. And I would say competition is just going to be there. And competition enhances the play of everyone that you're surrounded with… You're either a competitor or you're not. And so I embrace the competition.”
Falcons' Tua Tagovailoa, Michael Penix Jr. on even ground
Tagovailoa signed with the Falcons after getting released by the Dolphins following the worst season of his career. He threw for 2,660 passing yards, his fewest since his rookie season, with 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. While he avoided another major injury, Tagovailoa's sixth season ended with him getting benched for rookie Quinn Ewers.
Penix was not much better, throwing for 1,982 passing yards, nine touchdowns and three interceptions while completing just 60.1 percent of his passes. His completion rate was the sixth-lowest among starting quarterbacks. Penix also missed the final seven games of his second season after sustaining a season-ending torn ACL.
