The Atlanta Falcons are emphasizing a present-focused mindset for their quarterbacks as the team’s offseason program gets underway, according to an April 14 update. Head coach Kevin Stefanski is urging Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa to “be where your feet are,” encouraging both players to stay grounded and not look too far ahead.
This approach comes at a pivotal time for the Falcons’ quarterback room. Penix is concentrating on recovering from a season-ending knee injury, while Tagovailoa is seeking a new start with the team. Stefanski said the organization is “not so focused on timetables just yet” regarding Penix’s return, adding that more clarity will come closer to training camp.
“It will be a competition but I can’t tell you exactly what it will look like until Michael gets healthy,” Stefanski said at recent league meetings. “But the quarterback position — like all of our other positions — will be a competition, yes.” For now, both players are focusing on activities in the weight room and classroom during Phase I of the offseason program.
Stefanski emphasized that evaluations would be ongoing throughout this period: “So much of their jobs and their evaluation is going to be on a day-to-day basis. Treat every meeting, treat every practice like it’s a game. Put yourself in the game setting and give the best accounting of yourself that you can.” He also noted that learning foundational knowledge was key at this stage: “There’s going to be a lot of building foundational knowledge for them throughout this offseason… That’s what I know Coach (Alex) Van Pelt is working very hard with the quarterback room and focusing on the foundational knowledge first.”
The Falcons compete in the National Football League’s NFC South division according to their official website. The team began as an expansion franchise in 1965 and has reached two Super Bowls—in 1998 and 2016—according to their official website. The club is based in Atlanta, Georgia according to their official website, with Freddie the Falcon serving as its mascot according to their official website.
As preparations continue into April 2026, Stefanski reiterated his core message: “It’s about being where your feet are,” he said, “and making sure you’re not getting too far ahead of yourself.”