The Atlanta Falcons cannot catch a break at quarterback, and Thursday made that painfully obvious.
Tua Tagovailoa appeared to tweak his back during the open media portion of Thursday’s practice, three days before Atlanta opens its season in Pittsburgh. ESPN’s Marc Raimondi reported that Tagovailoa touched his back and sat down on the grass during individual drills, then did not appear to throw again for the rest of the window reporters were allowed to watch.
Reporters only get a small slice of practice, so nobody outside the building knows how much of the session Tagovailoa actually missed. That does not make this less alarming.
Here is why: back spasms already limited Tagovailoa earlier in training camp. This is a repeat visit to the same problem area, not some fluke bump. Recurring back issues for a quarterback who takes hits behind a rebuilt offensive line is exactly the kind of thing that lingers into October.
Tagovailoa is still expected to start Sunday against the Steelers. His hold on the job is another matter entirely.
Michael Penix Jr. was ruled not physically ready to open the season as Atlanta’s starter, which is the only reason Tagovailoa is taking first-team snaps at all. The moment Penix is cleared and healthy, the Falcons will have a decision to make, and it will not be a hard one unless Tagovailoa plays at a very high level in the meantime. Atlanta drafted Penix in the first round in 2024 and traded up to do it. That investment does not get shelved for a one-year rental.
Which brings us to the contract, because it tells you everything about how the Falcons view this arrangement. Atlanta signed Tagovailoa in March to a one-year deal worth $1.215 million. That is a veteran-minimum-level number for a former fifth overall pick who once led the NFL in passing yards. Nobody hands out a deal like that expecting a long-term marriage.
Last season was rough. Tagovailoa threw for 2,660 yards with 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions across 14 games. The interception number is the killer there. When your touchdown-to-pick ratio sits that close to even, you are not building a case for job security.
If Tagovailoa cannot go Sunday, Cooper Rush gets the start in Pittsburgh. Rush has been a competent NFL backup for years and has won games as a spot starter, but asking him to open a season on the road against a Steelers defense is not the plan Atlanta drew up in March.
The bigger picture for the Falcons is uncomfortable. Their Week 1 quarterback room is a stopgap veteran with a balky back and a career backup behind him, while the guy they actually drafted to run the offense waits on his body. Everyone in the building knows this is a temporary arrangement.
Atlanta’s front office spent the offseason betting that Penix would be ready sooner rather than later and that Tagovailoa could keep the seat warm without wrecking the season. Thursday was the first real crack in that plan.
Watch the Friday injury report. If Tagovailoa shows up as limited or worse, the Falcons have a problem in Week 1 and a much larger one after that. If he practices fully and starts Sunday, this becomes a footnote until the next time his back barks.
Given the history, expect a next time.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.