ESPN's Louis Riddick Makes Tua Tagovailoa, Michael Penix Jr. QB1 Prediction

The Atlanta Falcons have a quarterback battle on their hands this summer, and everyone is ready to declare a winner before it truly begins, including ESPN's Louis Riddick.

Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. are competing for the starting quarterback role of the Atlanta Falcons. | Scott Kennedy

The Atlanta Falcons ended the Kirk Cousins experiment earlier this year and signed former Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to a friendly 1-year deal this offseason, bringing the experience factor into this year’s quarterback competition with Michael Penix Jr. 

The competition between Tagovailoa and Penix is expected to be fierce in Flowery Branch ahead of the 2026 season, but who has the edge early on? The case for Tagovailoa to win the job was a topic of discussion during a recent episode of ESPN’s NFL Live.

NFL analyst Louis Riddick is confident that Tagovailoa will get a much-needed breath of fresh air this season and that the resources and weapons surrounding him will ultimately lead to a starting position. 

“I personally think (Tagovailoa) should win this job,” Riddick said. “All things being equal, no disrespect to Michael Penix, Tua is a fantastic passer. If he can stay on the football field, and they can play complementary football, I think he wins the job.” 

Drake London’s recent extension provides comfort in the passing game

The Atlanta Falcons proved Tuesday that they have bought into the future of wide receiver Drake London by extending his contract to $141 million over four years. London’s extension should bring comfort to Tagovailoa, who struggled with consistency at wide receiver last season in Miami. Only two wide receivers played over 15 games for the Dolphins last season, Jaylen Waddle and Malik Washington.

London, Kyle Pitts Sr., and Bijan Robinson, along with the likes of rookie Zachariah Branch and the return of Olamide Zaccheaus, could provide more stability for Tagovailoa’s passing game. 

A reliable offensive line never hurts anyone

The Falcons are set to return four players from an offensive line that ranked No. 16 in pass blocking last season, with a PFF grade of 68.2, compared to the Dolphins’ 29th-ranked pass blocking output.

The quartet of Jake Matthews, Matthew Bergeron, Ryan Neuzil, and Chris Lindstrom combined to allow just nine sacks in well over 4,000 snaps, providing quarterbacks Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins with slightly more time to throw than Tagovailoa had last season.

Jawaan Taylor, who is projected to take over at right tackle for Elijah Wilkinson, held his own last season in Kansas City by allowing just three sacks in 760 snaps. Those are just five more reasons why Tagovailoa could thrive in Atlanta should he win the quarterback battle. 

How concerned should we be with injuries?

It is difficult not to think of injuries when thinking of the quarterback competition between Penix and Tagovailoa. Penix is returning to work after tearing his ACL in week 11 last season, and Tagovailoa has battled concussions throughout his NFL career, most recently suffering a grade-three concussion in September 2024.

However, Tagovailoa has a quality offensive line, talented receivers, and an All-Pro running back in Robinson, taking some of the pressure off him. Watching Tagovailoa adapt to this change of scenery could be one of the major storylines to focus on this season when watching the Falcons. 

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