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By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
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We're over a week into training camp, and Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. has yet to complete a full practice.
He's still working his way back from a torn ACL suffered last November — the third ACL tear of his young career. Penix has participated in individual drills and 7-on-7 work, but has yet to take part in a full 11-on-11 practice.
That's opened the door for Tua Tagovailoa, who the Falcons signed in March, to take over as the starter. Head coach Kevin Stefanski has yet to announce who will be under center when the 2026 season kicks off, but it's starting to feel more and more like it'll be Tagovailoa.
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Asked Wednesday when he expects to return to full practice, Penix didn't offer much certainty. "It could be any day," he said. "I am not really chasing a timeline. I'm chasing trying to be better every day." He added that it's difficult to quantify where he's at in his recovery, but that he feels good and is getting stronger and more confident in his knee every day.
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The Falcons open their preseason on Friday, Aug. 14, against the Denver Broncos at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Starters typically see little to no action that early in the preseason, but with Week 1 of the regular season just over a month away, getting in practice reps is becoming increasingly important.
Atlanta has the pieces on offense to make noise in 2026 — the team has already committed big money to Drake London, Kyle Pitts Sr., and Bijan Robinson. All that's missing is steady quarterback play. It's still relatively early, but between Penix's unclear return timeline and Tagovailoa's growing rapport with the receiving corps in camp, the Week 1 starting job may be decided sooner rather than later.
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