The Atlanta Falcons need to announce their decision now.
The Atlanta Falcons are very much in game week with their opening showdown coming up in six days on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
While fans are excited to watch this team get back on the field and begin a new era under a new head coach in Kevin Stefanski, there just remains one massive question looming over Atlanta as game week begins. Unlike every other team in the National Football League, the Falcons going into Monday still have yet to announce who their starting quarterback will be.
In all fairness, it's a unique situation for Atlanta with Michael Penix Jr. only recently returning to full practice and Tua Tagovailoa struggling throughout camp as the guy who was supposed to be the placeholder. Clearly, the Falcons are stalling to see if Penix is ready to go, but they are running out of time.
Stefanski Must Announce Atlanta QB Decision Soon
The news could come as early as today, and fans are beginning to grow restless about this entire situation. Though Penix's return put a damper on the Tagovailoa chances of starting Week 1, it does feel like the longer this lingers the better the chances the former Alabama star will get the first crack at the gig.
Penix is going to be back sooner rather than later, but asking him to start Week 1 against T.J. Watt and company without any sort of real game reps all summer is a tall ask for a guy coming off a torn ACL just last November.
Still, if the franchise and medical staff feels confident that there is no risk to allowing him to go out there, Penix should absolutely be announced as the starter.
No matter what the outcome is, fans are simply ready to have their answer as to who they can expect. Atlanta is carrying four quarterbacks on the roster, though it's safe to say Penix or Tagovailoa is going to be this team's starter. And if it is Tagovailoa, it may not be for long.
At the end of the day though, the clock is ticking and it's telling Stefanski that it's time to make and announce a decision. When that choice is made, everyone is going to have their opinions, but no matter the potential blowback, Week 1 is coming.
Someone is going to have to take the first snaps, and it won't be long before fans have their answer.
