Two drives, two punts for Tua Tagovailoa in Falcons debut

Published August 14, 2026 08:09 PM Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa made his preseason debut with the Falcons on Friday night against the Broncos.In two drives led by Tua, the Falcons punted twice.The first was a three-and-out effort, netting four yards. The second saw the Falcons gain a first down and advance from their own 15 to their own 32 before punting again.Before exiting for Cooper Rush, Tua completed three of five passes for 22 yards and a passer rating of 70.4. He also fumbled a shotgun snap before falling on it.Tagovailoa is currently listed as the first-string quarterback. Michael Penix Jr. doesn’t have a formal spot on the depth chart, as he recovers from a torn ACL suffered last season. Penix has yet to be cleared for team activities.The Falcons open the regular season with a September 13 visit to the Steelers. Last year, a Dolphins loss in Week 15 at Pittsburgh triggered Tua’s benching by the Dolphins — setting the stage for his offseason exit and the Dolphins paying him more than $50 million to play for the Falcons.