Falcons QB Lineup Announced For Preseason Finale vs. Dolphins

The Atlanta Falcons will utilize three quarterbacks in their NFL preseason finale against the Miami Dolphins this Friday, Aug. 28.

And none of them is Michael Penix Jr.

“Mike will not play,” Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters on Wednesday, Aug. 26.

Stefanski announced that Tua Tagovailoa will start, followed by Cooper Rush, and then Jack Strand will finish the game at Miami.

Stefanski added that Penix won’t play due to his acclimation period. The 2024 eighth overall draft pick began 11-on-11 activity this week after getting medical clearance of his partially torn ACL from last November. Before becoming full-go at training camp, Penix was limited to 7-on-7 and individual periods at practice.

“Just got back to team drills on Monday,” Stefanski said. “So, I just felt to keep the focus on these three days and see how he came out of it. And I think he did well.”

Penix is battling with Tagovailoa for the starting quarterback role.

Stefanski says Atlanta has no timeline for announcing the QB1 for the Week 1 season opener on Sept. 13, a little over two weeks away against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“Not trying to be coy,” he said. “We’ll focus on what information is available to us. This is something we need to work through. Tua was injured to start camp. Mike’s been injured and not doing the 11-on-11. Every day, you’re just trying to make decisions based on who’s available to you. The good news is very, very happy with our guys and the progress they’ve all made.”

Falcons (1-1) versus Dolphins (0-2) kicks off at 7 p.m. from Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium on Friday.

Tagovailoa is starting against the team that he spent six NFL seasons with before being released in March. The Dolphins took in an NFL record $100 million in dead cap money when they parted ways with Tagovailoa.

The dead cap is money already given to a player who is no longer on the roster. The Falcons were able to sign Tagovailoa for the league minimum of $1.2 million, with that money going back to the Dolphins. The Falcons are in a similar situation with Kirk Cousins. The Falcons are carrying a $22.5 million dead cap number because of Cousins this year and $12.5 million next season after releasing him two years into a four-year deal.

Atlanta-Miami will be televised on FOX 5 Atlanta and CBS Miami.

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