Cleared for team periods
Atlanta got its quarterback back. Coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed after the Falcons beat the Indianapolis Colts 34-6 in preseason action that Michael Penix Jr. has been medically cleared and returns to full practice on Monday.
Stefanski kept it to two sentences. “Mike is cleared for 11-on-11. He’ll practice Monday in team periods.”
Penix tore an ACL in November and has spent the offseason working back from knee surgery. He described himself as fully mobile earlier in the week. “As far as moving in the pocket, I can do everything,” he said Thursday.
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Tagovailoa changed the math
The Falcons did not wait for that clearance. They signed Tua Tagovailoa in free agency after Miami moved on, adding a six-year veteran and one-time Pro Bowler whose Dolphins tenure unravelled through injuries and inconsistent play.
That signing reframed the depth chart. Penix started nine games last season and three more as a rookie behind Kirk Cousins in 2024. Before Tagovailoa arrived he looked like the obvious starter. He now walks into a competition while still building back from a major knee injury.
Tagovailoa has barely played this preseason. He completed 3 of 5 passes for 22 yards in limited work during the opener, a 27-7 loss to Denver on Aug. 14. Cooper Rush and Jack Strand have handled most of the quarterback snaps since.
One preseason game left
Atlanta closes the preseason at Miami on Friday, which gives Penix a single week of team reps before the schedule turns real. Whether the staff exposes him to live snaps in that game or protects the knee and settles the job in practice will say plenty about where the competition stands.
Tagovailoa returning to Miami in a Falcons uniform adds its own layer. The quarterback who lost the job there could be auditioning for a new one against his former club, with Penix watching from the same sideline.
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