Falcons quarterback competition takes early hit as Tua Tagovailoa suffers 'flare-up' in training camp

Not adjacent 1 afloat week into NFL grooming camp, 1 squad is already dealing with backmost wounded woes.

The Atlanta Falcons saw Tua Tagovailoa, who they acquired this offseason to vie with Michael Penix Jr. for the starting role, person a "flare-up" of an undisclosed injury, caller caput manager Kevin Stefanski told reporters.

Stefanski didn’t divulge what precisely Tagovailoa is dealing with, but helium had to beryllium sidelined. However, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Tagovailoa is dealing with a choky back.

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Tua Tagovailoa No. 1 of the Atlanta Falcons runs done drills during OTAs astatine IBM Performance Field connected May 27, 2026, successful Flowery Branch, Ga. (Getty Images)

Stefanski did enactment that helium believes Tagovailoa volition instrumentality to signifier "sooner alternatively than later."

With Penix Jr. inactive recovering from a torn ACL helium suffered past play — helium whitethorn miss the archetypal 4 weeks of grooming campy — the Falcons signed seasoned backup Cooper Rush to bolster the backmost extent chart.

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The Falcons released Trevor Siemian earlier connected Wednesday, and aft Tagovailoa’s injury, undrafted rookie escaped cause Jack Strand was the lone steadfast backmost connected the extent chart.

Penix was spotted doing idiosyncratic drills, arsenic good arsenic 7-on-7 enactment with teammates, but helium hasn’t seen immoderate clip successful afloat squad activities conscionable yet.

Tua Tagovailoa No. 1 of the Atlanta Falcons runs done drills during OTAs astatine IBM Performance Field connected May 27, 2026, successful Flowery Branch, Ga. (Getty Images)

"I person a agelong wounded history," Penix, who had 4 season-ending injuries during his clip astatine Indiana earlier helium transferred to Washington during his assemblage days, said, via ESPN. "The past happening I privation to bash is unreserved backmost conscionable to get backmost connected the field.

"This is the 3rd ACL. We’re not taking it lightly."

Stefanski knows good that injuries tin hap erstwhile you slightest expect them, adjacent astatine the commencement of grooming campy earlier afloat pads are strapped on. It’s unfortunate, though, to statesman his archetypal campy successful Atlanta with this overmuch uncertainty hovering implicit the astir important presumption connected his roster.

The Falcons volition beryllium an absorbing squad to ticker this season, not conscionable due to the fact that of the backmost dilemma, but besides what this caller regime, which includes legendary backmost Matt Ryan arsenic squad president of football, tin bash to get the squad backmost into the playoffs.

Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa of the Atlanta Falcons laughter during OTAs astatine IBM Performance Field successful Flowery Branch, Ga., connected May 27, 2026. (Getty Images)

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The Falcons person not had a playoff berth since 2017, erstwhile Ryan was inactive the franchise signal-caller. They besides person not had a grounds astatine oregon supra .500 since that twelvemonth arsenic well.

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