Should I Start Tua Tagovailoa?

Wednesday, September 16, 8:38 AM

Atlanta Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski said that quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (oblique) will not practice on Wednesday, but he is getting better, according to Marc Raimondi of ESPN. Tagovailoa was set to start in Week 1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but an oblique injury he suffered in practice last Thursday knocked him out and forced veteran backup Cooper Rush to start under center. Michael Penix Jr. (knee) is still recovering from a partially torn ACL last year and will not be ready for Week 2 against the division-rival Carolina Panthers, so if Tagovailoa does not gain clearance by the end of the week, Rush will likely make a second straight start. Tagovailoa was hoping to bounce back in 2026 after being released by the Miami Dolphins, but he is not off to a great start after looking pretty bad in training camp and the preseason before his oblique injury. The former first-rounder from Alabama is merely a short-term, stopgap option for the Falcons (when healthy) as they wait for Penix to complete the final stages of his ACL recovery.