The Atlanta Falcons will have a late change at quarterback for their 2026 NFL season opener. Tua Tagovailoa has been ruled out of Sunday's Week 1 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers because of a right oblique injury.
Tagovailoa had been named Atlanta's starting quarterback after competing throughout training camp, but the injury he suffered during Thursday's practice changed the team's plans just days before the opener.
Cooper Rush will get the start
With Tagovailoa unavailable, Cooper Rush will start at quarterback against Pittsburgh. The veteran has previous NFL starting experience and will now be responsible for leading an Atlanta offense that enters Week 1 with significant questions at quarterback.
Rush has appeared in 42 regular-season games and has made 16 starts. Most of those starts came with the Dallas Cowboys, although he also briefly started games for the Baltimore Ravens.
What about Michael Penix Jr.?
Michael Penix Jr. will also remain unavailable. The quarterback is continuing his recovery from the knee injury that ended his 2025 season, and head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed that Penix was not considered for Sunday's game against Pittsburgh.
Undrafted rookie Jack Strand will serve as Rush's backup. Atlanta kept four quarterbacks on its initial 53-man roster because of the uncertainty surrounding the position.
An unexpected start for Atlanta
The Falcons had planned to open the season with Tagovailoa as their starter, making the late change a major development before their first official game. Rush now has an opportunity to lead the offense while Atlanta waits for its other quarterbacks to return.