Falcons QB Battle: Same Handedness, Two Different Strengths

The Atlanta Falcons signed quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to a one-year, $1.3 million deal last week. The left-handed signal caller will compete with Michael Penix Jr. for the starting quarterback role in 2026.

However, nothing is set in stone just yet for who will be the starting quarterback.

“We’re not in the business of really handing out starting positions in February, and in March the same,” new general manager Ian Cunningham said. “For Tua, coming in here, he knows he’s coming in to compete, just like Michael knows that he’s coming in to compete.”

Despite both being left-handed passers, Tagovailoa and Penix are very different players. Their strengths and weaknesses contrast sharply, with each player’s strong suit often being the other’s area of concern.

Let’s start with Tagovailoa, whose strength lies in his accuracy.

“Tagovaoa’s strength is his accuracy. He has completed 68% of his career passes and in 2024, he led the NFL with a 72.9% completion rate.” CBS Sports’ Jared Durbin wrote.

“Penix is almost exactly the opposite. In his short time in the NFL, he’s completed only 59.6% of his passes.”

Tagovailoa has never completed less than 64% of his passes, including four seasons (out of six) where he completed over 67% of his passes. However, while he has pinpoint accuracy, he has a weak arm, struggling to push the ball down the field, which is where Penix excels.

“What he [Tagovailoa] lacks is arm strength, as he’s long been unable to push the ball down the field and instead relied on the Dolphins’ scheme and skill position players to create a significant share of their yards after catch.” Durbin wrote.

While Tagovailoa’s precision makes him a safer and more reliable option, it comes at the cost of limiting downfield explosiveness, a skill that Penix brings in spades.

According to Durbin, the third-year quarterback frequently attacks the intermediate and deep areas of the field, allowing his playmakers to snag the ball at the catch point instead of generating yards after catch.

So, although the quarterbacks are both left-handed, the similarities end there. One guy thrives at short and intermediate-range precision passing, relying on timing and accuracy, while the other excels at stretching the field and testing defenses vertically. How the Falcons choose to deploy their offense in 2026 will hinge on who ultimately wins the starting job.