June 26, 2026, 1:09 p.m. ET

The Atlanta Falcons haven’t made the postseason since 2017, but they’ve gotten pretty close in recent years. Not only has the team gone 8-9 in back-to-back seasons, but Atlanta finished in a three-way tie for the NFC South crown in 2025. Unfortunately, the Falcons still missed the playoffs due to a lack of tiebreakers.

With that said, the team has a talented roster and should be interesting this season at the very least. Bleacher Report‘s Brad Gagnon listed the Falcons as one of the eight most interesting teams in the NFL entering the 2026 season, citing the quarterback competition between Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa.

“Here we have another potentially awesome quarterback battle between a former Pro Bowler in a new setting (Tua Tagovailoa) and a third-year first-round pick who has yet to deliver on expectations (Michael Penix Jr.),” wrote B/R’s Brad Gagnon. “Once again, whoever quarterbacks this team will have a superb group of weapons and a stellar offensive line. The Falcons also have some appealing young talent on defense, and the entire operation will be overseen by high-profile offseason head coach addition Kevin Stefanski. Considering the NFC South is expected to be wide open again, the space between the floor and the ceiling is massive in Atlanta.”

While the NFC South will certainly be wide open once again in 2026, it’s been a full decade since the Falcons last secured a division title.

The battle between Tagovailoa and Penix is an interesting one since the two quarterbacks have vastly different skill sets. Tagovailoa is known for his precision accuracy and excellent timing on touch passes, while Penix is known more for pushing the ball down the field and making big plays.

Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.

The fact that Penix, the less experienced of the two, is still rehabbing from an ACL injury gives Tua the early advantage. However, the Falcons invested a first-round pick on Penix just two years ago. The former Washington standout had a 3-to-1 touchdown/interception ratio before his injury last season.

Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski will likely go with whoever gives the team the best chance to win. At this point, it’s hard to say who that will be. Penix expects to be ready for training camp, and if so, it should be one of the NFL’s top storylines.

Rookies will report to camp on July 24, with veterans coming a few days later on July 28.