Overview
- The Falcons published a team media schedule showing a “starting quarterback” press conference set for Wednesday, Sept. 9, signaling the club will name its Week 1 starter by that date.
- General manager Ian Cunningham said the decision is not final and that the staff will keep evaluating all four rostered quarterbacks before announcing a starter.
- Michael Penix Jr. was recently cleared for full 11-on-11 work after a torn ACL but has had limited live reps and did not play in the preseason finale, leaving his Week 1 availability uncertain.
- Tua Tagovailoa has produced uneven preseason performances and is not guaranteed the job despite signing a low-cost one-year deal, a choice that carries short-term roster and contract implications if he loses the competition.
- Atlanta kept four quarterbacks on its 53-man roster — Penix, Tagovailoa, veteran Cooper Rush and rookie Jack Strand — as an insurance strategy that preserves immediate depth and shapes roster moves depending on the Sept. 9 decision.