Tua's Role Updated by Falcons HC After Michael Penix Jr. Gets Named QB1 vs. Packers

The Atlanta Falcons might have their top two quarterbacks both available for the first time this season for Thursday night's matchup at the Green Bay Packers.

Tua Tagovailoa is "trending in the right direction" to back up Michael Penix Jr. against the Packers, head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters Wednesday.

"He's working very, very hard to get himself back healthy, and he's doing really well there," Stefanski said about Tagovailoa.

Stefanski added Tagovailoa has been "ultra supportive, [a] great person to have around the building."

The Falcons announced Monday Penix, who sat out the first two games of the season amid his recovery from the knee injury that prematurely ended his 2025 season, would start Thursday.

Tagovailoa, who was sidelined through Week 2 with an oblique injury, returned to Falcons practice in a limited capacity Monday before he was listed as a full participant on Tuesday's injury report .

The Falcons are heading into Thursday's matchup against the Packers having gone 0-2 with Cooper Rush playing in front of backup Jack Strand.

Rush threw a pair of interceptions in both starts, most recently recording just 86 passing yards in a 34-3 blowout loss to the Carolina Panthers during last Sunday's home opener.

Penix has not played since suffering a torn ACL in Week 11 of the 2025 season. Tagovailoa last saw regular-season action in Week 15 of the same campaign before he was benched at the end of his tenure with the Miami Dolphins.

Both quarterbacks could now be challenged with taking on a Packers defense that has so far this season allowed the fifth-fewest yards against in the NFL when the Week 3 matchup kicks off Thursday at 8:15 p.m. ET at Lambeau Field.