Who will play quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons this week at home against the Carolina Panthers?
Well... nobody knows yet... not even the Falcons... at least publicly.
At least we have somewhat of an update. Quarterbacks Michael Penix Jr. and Cooper Rush fully participated in practice on Thursday, making them the two most viable options to play outside of undrafted rookie Jack Strand.
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa did not practice again with an oblique injury, which will likely keep him sidelined for another week.
While Penix is probably the hope the start for the team internally, Rush is probably the most likely person to play on Sunday since he's seemingly healthy and started last week. Penix and the team have been noncommittal with when he might
actually return to the field after his 2025 ACL injury.
So... who is playing for the Falcons at quarterback on Sunday? Our best guess is Rush, but maybe Penix surprises.
Falcons’ QB practice report:
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 17, 2026
🏈Michael Penix Jr. and Cooper Rush were full participants today.
🏈Tua Tagovailoa did not practice today.
The Falcons have one of the more confusing quarterback situations in some time. It's probably Rush's job for the time being until Penix or Tagovailoa is healthy enough to step in and play.
Who do the Falcons play in Week 3?
The team plays the Packers in Green Bay next Thursday at 7:15 p.m. on Amazon Prime Video.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Who will start at quarterback for the Falcons in Week 2? What we know
