The Atlanta Falcons will open the 2026 NFL season with Cooper Rushat quarterback after Tua Tagovailoa sustained an oblique injury during Thursday's practice. Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski ruled Tagovailoa out for Sunday's road matchup against the Steelers.
With Michael Penix Jr. inactive, that leaves Rush and undrafted rookie Jack Strand as Atlanta's top two quarterbacks entering Week 1. The veteran backup appeared in all three preseason games for the Falcons, completing 30 of 48 pass attempts for 254 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions for a passer rating of 65.8.
Rush has appeared in 42 career games (16 starts), passing for 3,766 yards, 20 touchdowns and 14 interceptions over the last eight NFL seasons. After spending the first seven
years of his career with the Dallas Cowboys, the former Central Michigan standout signed with the Baltimore Ravens in 2025.
In four games with the Ravens, Rush passed for 303 yards, zero touchdowns and four interceptions for a passer rating of 48.8. Hopefully, Rush can play the way he did in Atlanta's last two preseason games and avoid turnovers against a feisty Steelers defense.
Sunday's game starts at 1 p.m. ET at Pittsburgh's Acrisure Stadium.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Falcons to start former Cowboys QB vs. Steelers in NFL Week 1
