Falcons Have Clear Preference for Starting Quarterback, According to Report

Atlanta’s quarterback situation appears to be trending toward Michael Penix Jr. returning as the starter once he’s healthy enough to play, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Rapoport reported Penix’s expected timeline is about two weeks, which could put him in position to return as early as this week against the Carolina Panthers. The team’s decision has been complicated by injuries and by what happened after Week 1: Penix remains sidelined recovering from the knee injury that ended his 2025 season, and Tua Tagovailoa—named starter for Week 1—was ruled out with an oblique injury. That forced Cooper Rush to start vs. the Steelers, where Rush threw two interceptions in a 20-13 loss. Rapoport also did not mention Jack Strand.