Tua Tagovailoa will be the starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons in their Week 1 opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers.The decision was officially announced Monday, bringing an end to a months-long competition between the former Miami Dolphins franchise signal caller and Michael Penix Jr.Tagovailoa has been named Atlanta’s Week 1 starter over PenixGettyIt was the last remaining QB battle to be decided in the NFL, ahead of the long-anticipated return to action.But actual competition between the two Falcons signal callers, was scarce.Penix suffered a season-ending torn ACL in November 2025, and underwent surgery. He rehabbed during the offseason, but was not cleared for 11-on-11 team periods until the final week of training camp.The former first-round pick has not thrown a football in any of Atlanta’s three preseason games, and will be inactive for Week 1, with Cooper Rush serving as backup.NFL Weekly Newsletter - SIGN UP!talkSPORT is your home for NFL in the UK as we launch our biggest year of coverage yet!2026 promises to be an epic year for NFL on talkSPORT – and we want you to join us for the ride.MORE INFO & SIGN-UP HERE!This season will be our biggest ever with live commentary of 90+ games, including behind-the-scenes access to international games and all three London fixtures, plus bumper coverage of Super Bowl 61 at SoFi Stadium.Exclusive interviews, hard-hitting opinion, latest front-office drama and top breaking news – all delivered straight to your inbox each week.Tagovailoa, meanwhile, was signed on a veteran’s minimum deal, and started camp with a tight back.He missed the first week of practices, which was a minor setback, before starting two exhibition games for the Falcons.While he failed to make much of an impression off the bat, with three passes for 22 yards in his first game against the Denver Broncos, he did go 7-of-8 for 95 yards on a return to Miami.Tua also fumbled a snap in both of those appearances, and struggles to drive the ball downfield with regularity remain clear.Still, he’ll suit up in Week 1 on Sunday, as Penix appears a little way off full fitness for now, to become the NFL’s lowest-paid signal caller in 2026 on a $1.215 million contract.Tua ‘not good enough’ to be starting QB for struggling FalconsThe Falcons have now named a different starter in each of the past six seasons, and talkSPORT’s Brian T. Smith and Will Gavin believe there will be little to get excited about in Atlanta this year.Tagovailoa will be the NFL’s lowest-paid starting QB in 2026GettyPenix will have to wait for his chance to return to the fieldGettySpeaking on the NFL show, Smith began: “The fact that the Atlanta Falcons have four quarterbacks (on their roster) — that tells us that Tua isn’t good enough.“Kevin Stefanski, once again, has a quarterback problem. Tua is the starter, but for me, the news is that they kept four quarterbacks on their active, 53-man roster.“What is going on with the Falcons?”Gavin then jumped in and broke down the situation, suggesting that undrafted rookie Jack Strand could see significant gametime in 2026.“Genuinely, I’m getting the feeling at this point, that we’re at a point where neither Tua Tagovailoa nor Michael Penix feel like the future of the team,” he said.“It felt like a flyer, let’s go and take the lefty, the guy who’s on a huge contract that we’re going to get for pennies, because the Dolphins are paying everything for him… really, there’s no risk.“Play him for three or four games, he’s probably terrible. Play Penix when he’s healthy, he’s probably terrible.“Are we actually at the point now where Jack Strand could start seven or eight games, because you’re looking to the future, and one of the best-looking quarterback class we’ve seen in recent year?”Smith then concluded: “I don’t expect anything big from the Falcons this year. The Falcons are not expected to make waves in 2026 with a tough QB situationGetty“I think if Tua somehow stays the starter all year, and wins 10 games, he might be up for Comeback Player of the Year.“But the Falcons are one of those teams, that if you have to wait this long — Penix was supposed to be the guy, now he’s been benched — now you’ve got four quarterbacks. “To me, it feels like they’re already thinking about taking the next quarterback in the draft next year. Tua Tagovailoa will play with ‘chip on his shoulder’ in 2026While Smith and Gavin believe the situation is grim, Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski believes Tua will be out to silence his doubters.Falcons HC Stefanski believes Tua will be out to silence his doubtersGetty“You want to prove people wrong,” Stefanski said of his new starter. “You have a chip on your shoulder.“I think where I’m coming into this, where Tua’s coming into this is, listen, this is not exactly how you thought it would go, but guess what, that’s the reality, and how are we gonna respond?“I think that’s what he’s made of. You look at his career, you look back at his college career, he’s responded.”Week 1 is finally here, and the Falcons are fully focused on preparing for their clash with the Steelers.When the game kicks off at Acrisure Stadium, and Atlanta’s starting offense takes the field, Tagovailoa will be the QB out there with them.Join talkSPORT’s dedicated US Sports YouTube channel every Tuesday and Thursday for our brand new NFL shows.On Tuesdays Will Gavin and US senior reporter Brian T Smith will debate the biggest talking points from the weekend, while on Thursdays Efe Obada joins the crew to talk to players past and present and break down what to look for across the league