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  "slug": "falcons-name-tua-tagovailoa-starting-quarterback-for-week-1-vs-steeler-ooqm8i",
  "headline": "Falcons name Tua Tagovailoa starting quarterback for Week 1 vs. Steelers",
  "category": "free_agency",
  "importance_score": 8,
  "is_rumor": false,
  "status": "updated",
  "update_note": "Additional reporting from Pro Football Talk.",
  "teams": [
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    "Pittsburgh Steelers",
    "Miami Dolphins"
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  "players": [
    "Tua Tagovailoa",
    "Cooper Rush"
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      "name": "NFL.com",
      "headline": "Falcons name Tua Tagovailoa starting quarterback for Week 1 vs. Steelers",
      "description": "Tua Tagovailoa will be the starting quarterback for the Falcons' Week 1 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta announced Monday.",
      "url": "https://www.nfl.com/news/falcons-tua-tagovailoa-starting-quarterback-week-1-steelers",
      "published_at": "2026-09-07T12:23:02.000Z",
      "discovered_at": "2026-09-07T12:30:35.249Z",
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    {
      "name": "Pro Football Talk",
      "headline": "Falcons pick Tua Tagovailoa as their Week 1 starting quarterback",
      "description": "Six days before the season opener, the Falcons have finally made their choice.",
      "url": "https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/falcons-pick-tua-tagovailoa-as-their-week-one-starting-quarterback",
      "published_at": "2026-09-07T12:19:52.000Z",
      "discovered_at": "2026-09-07T12:30:35.627Z",
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    },
    {
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      "headline": "Falcons Name Tua Tagovailoa Their Week 1 QB Starter, Michael Penix Jr. Inactive",
      "description": "The Atlanta Falcons have made their Week 1 decision at quarterback before matching up against the Pittsburgh Steelers",
      "url": "https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/atlanta-falcons-tua-tagovailoa-pittsburgh-steelers-week-1",
      "published_at": "2026-09-07T17:22:31.000Z",
      "discovered_at": "2026-09-07T17:30:30.666Z",
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    {
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      "headline": "Tua Tagovailoa's return to Pittsburgh puts extra pressure on Mike McCarthy's debut",
      "description": "The last time quarterback Tua Tagovailoa started a game in Pittsburgh, it became his last start with the Miami Dolphins.",
      "url": "https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/tua-tagovailoas-return-to-pittsburgh-puts-extra-pressure-on-mike-mccarthys-debut",
      "published_at": "2026-09-07T19:25:54.000Z",
      "discovered_at": "2026-09-07T19:31:07.416Z",
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    {
      "name": "NFL.com",
      "headline": "Tua Tagovailoa sees Falcons' starting QB job as a chance to change perceptions",
      "description": "",
      "url": "https://www.nfl.com/news/tua-tagovailoa-sees-falcons-starting-qb-job-as-a-chance-to-change-perceptions",
      "published_at": "2026-09-10T10:16:06.000Z",
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    {
      "name": "Pro Football Talk",
      "headline": "\"Strong possibility\" Tua Tagovailoa will be cut, if/when benched",
      "description": "On Sunday, Falcons quarterback Tua Tagovailoa returns to the place where he made his last start with the Dolphins.",
      "url": "https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/strong-possibility-tua-tagovailoa-will-be-cut-if-when-benched",
      "published_at": "2026-09-10T15:37:48.000Z",
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    {
      "name": "Pro Football Talk",
      "headline": "Tua Tagovailoa absent from open portion of Falcons practice Friday",
      "description": "Cooper Rush may be starting against the Steelers in Week 1.",
      "url": "https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/tua-tagovailoa-absent-from-open-portion-of-falcons-practice-friday",
      "published_at": "2026-09-11T16:33:47.000Z",
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  "first_published_at": "2026-09-07T12:19:52.000Z",
  "latest_published_at": "2026-09-11T16:33:47.000Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-09-11T16:40:37.439Z",
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https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/falcons-pick-tua-tagovailoa-as-their-week-one-starting-quarterback\n\nFOX Sports\nHeadline: Falcons Name Tua Tagovailoa Their Week 1 QB Starter, Michael Penix Jr. Inactive\nDescription: The Atlanta Falcons have made their Week 1 decision at quarterback before matching up against the Pittsburgh Steelers\nPublished: September 7, 2026 at 1:22 PM EDT\nURL: https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/atlanta-falcons-tua-tagovailoa-pittsburgh-steelers-week-1\n\nPro Football Talk\nHeadline: Tua Tagovailoa's return to Pittsburgh puts extra pressure on Mike McCarthy's debut\nDescription: The last time quarterback Tua Tagovailoa started a game in Pittsburgh, it became his last start with the Miami Dolphins.\nPublished: September 7, 2026 at 3:25 PM EDT\nURL: https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/tua-tagovailoas-return-to-pittsburgh-puts-extra-pressure-on-mike-mccarthys-debut\n\nNFL.com\nHeadline: Tua Tagovailoa sees Falcons' starting QB job as a chance to change perceptions\nDescription: (no description available)\nPublished: September 10, 2026 at 6:16 AM EDT\nURL: https://www.nfl.com/news/tua-tagovailoa-sees-falcons-starting-qb-job-as-a-chance-to-change-perceptions\n\nPro Football Talk\nHeadline: \"Strong possibility\" Tua Tagovailoa will be cut, if/when benched\nDescription: On Sunday, Falcons quarterback Tua Tagovailoa returns to the place where he made his last start with the Dolphins.\nPublished: September 10, 2026 at 11:37 AM EDT\nURL: https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/strong-possibility-tua-tagovailoa-will-be-cut-if-when-benched\n\nPro Football Talk\nHeadline: Tua Tagovailoa absent from open portion of Falcons practice Friday\nDescription: Cooper Rush may be starting against the Steelers in Week 1.\nPublished: September 11, 2026 at 12:33 PM EDT\nURL: 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