Tua Tagovailoa has beaten Michael Penix Jr to be named the Atlanta Falcons’ starting quarterback for Week 1 of the NFL season.The Falcons are the last team to finalize plans for the opening week of the 2026 campaign, but it has now been confirmed that Tagovailoa will take to the field in Pittsburgh against Aaron Rodgers and Co.Penix Jr is still working his way back from a knee surgery last season, and the news of Tagovailoa’s promotion to QB1 was first reported by Tom Pelissero.It is being reported that new coach Kevin Stefanski first informed the players on Monday morning, with preparations now full steam ahead for Sunday’s opener.Penix Jr was the starter this time last year, and he played – barring a switch in Week 9 – until suffering a torn ACL in Week 11 against the Carolina Panthers.Kirk Cousins then took over the reins, going 4-3 to finish the season – compared to Penix Jr’s 3-6 record in the first half of the campaign. Tua Tagovailoa has been named the starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1 Michael Penix Jr will have to wait for his chance after recovering from his ACL tear in NovemberWith Cousins now in Las Vegas – and starting ahead of No 1 overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza – the Falcons signed Tagovailoa, who was released by the Miami Dolphins in March, a decision which left them with $99.2m in dead money.Two days after he was cut by Miami, Tagovailoa signed a one-year, $1.215m contract in Atlanta, and he will now be given another chance as a starter in the NFL. Speaking during training camp, offensive coordinator Tommy Rees said of Tagovailoa: ‘I think the biggest thing that you can tell is he’s a veteran.’He can see the field really well, and if the defense makes a mistake, he can see that and exploit it.’ Atlanta’s decision to name Tagovailoa as the starter comes as something of a surprise, after reports during training camp that he was struggling to impress. In fact, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported at the end of August that it had become ‘impossible’ for the ex-Alabama signal-caller to be handed the starting role.’It really seemed that the goal of the entire organization was to have Tua be the starting quarterback right away to start the season,’ he said. Kirk Cousins (L) is now in Las Vegas and starting ahead of No 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza’Let Michael Penix come along slow. … Really you’d like him to be inactive for the first several games and really just take his time and make sure he’s fully healthy.’Tua’s play made that impossible, not just in the preseason game, which we’ve seen, but it sounds like practice as well. All of which is to say, this is Michael Penix’s job for the taking.’Instead, it is Tagovailoa that gets the nod, but it remains to be seen how long he can hold on to his starting spot for. After the trip to Pittsburgh, Atlanta hosts Carolina in Week 2, before trips to Green Bay and New Orleans.