The Atlanta Falcons are once again starting a new quarterback.
The Atlanta Falcons are going into Week 1 of the 2026 season and starting a new era under a new head coach once again with Kevin Stefanski ready to put his stamp on the franchise.
Stefanski and the organization broke the news on Monday that everyone had been waiting for and revealed that Tua Tagovailoa would be the starting quarterback to begin the season as Michael Penix Jr. continues to work his way back to being fully ready. Barring Tagovailoa playing well and the team winning games, Penix is going to take over sooner than later, but once again, it's a new face ton begin a season for the Falcons.
Incredibly, it marks the sixth consecutive year that Atlanta has had a different starting quarterback to begin a season.
Falcons Now Have New Week 1 Starter for Sixth Straight Season
Going all the way back to 2021 when Matt Ryan was still the starter, it's been someone new under center to begin the season for Atlanta. In 2022, it was Marcus Mariota and this was followed up by Desmond Ridder in 2023, Kirk Cousins in 2024, Penix in 2025 and now Tagovailoa in 2026.
While other teams certainly have had turnovers at the position, six consecutive years with a new face to begin the year feels almost difficult to believe. It remains to be seen whether or not the current quarterback of the future is on the roster, but it has never been more clear than ever that until it's definitively figured out, this team is not going to experience any sort of sustained success.
Quarterback purgatory is the quickest way to not be a contender possible, and that is exactly where this organization finds itself here just days before the start of the season.
Penix is certainly more likely to answer the long-term question than Tagovailoa, but to this point, he has not been able to do that and another major injury is not going to help his case moving forward.
Big questions are going to continue to be asked, but as things currently stand, it appears likely the streak for Atlanta could extend to seven straight new starters for Week 1 by the time the 2027 season rolls around.
In the meantime, fans are ready for the Falcons to identify and develop a guy to take the reigns, whether he's already in the building or not at this point.
