Kevin Stefanski: Michael Penix right where he needs to be in rehab process

While speaking to reporters from the league meetings in Arizona, Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski said that the team will hold a competition for the starting quarterback job once Michael Penix is healthy enough to get on the field but it is still unclear when that might be the case.

Stefanski said on Wednesday that a timetable for Penix to be fully cleared to return from a torn ACL has not taken shape yet, but, via Will McFadden of the team’s website, that Penix is “right where he needs to be” at this point in the calendar.

The Falcons signed Tua Tagovailoa last month and he will be the other option at quarterback in Atlanta heading into the season. It’s a new offense for both players and Tagovailoa’s availability for offseason work could leave him with a leg up in the race to wind up as the starter.

That outcome will be a significant one for the Falcons’ overall outlook in 2026 and questions for Stefanski about Penix’s fitness will be frequent until the quarterback is back in action.