Cooper Rush to reportedly start for Falcons in Week 1 after Tua Tagovailoa sustained injury in practice
Tua Tagovailoa won't start for the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1 after all. Both he and Michael Penix are expected to be inactive Sunday, paving the way for Cooper Rush to get the start, per ESPN.
The news comes just days after Tagovailoa was announced as the team's starter for the contest.
Cooper Rush will be Atlanta's starting quarterback today, undrafted free agent Jack Strand will be the backup, and with Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. both inactive, wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus will be the Falcons' emergency quarterback vs. the Steelers.
- Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 13, 2026
But Zaccheus'... pic.twitter.com/1IG0cRsYzg
After waiting all offseason, the Falcons were the last team to officially name a starting quarterback. On Monday, the team announced Tagovailoa would get the nod against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1.
But things took a turn Thursday, when footage emerged of Tagovailoa sustaining an injury during practice. After a throw, Tagovailoa grabbed his back and immediately sat down on the grass. He was able to get up fairly quickly and was seen jogging down the field. The team eventually announced Tagovailoa was dealing with an oblique issue.
After practice, Rush told reporters he took every snap with the starting offense, perhaps the first sign he was in line to start in Week 1.
Rush wasn't expected to compete for the starting role when he was signed by the team in late July. With Penix still recovering from a knee injury and Tagovailoa - at the time - limited by a back issue, Rush was signed to give the team a warm body under center.
Tagovailoa was able to return during camp, though didn't separate himself from Penix, who recovered enough to take part in practices. The team, however, did not feel Penix was in a place to see game action yet, resulting in Tagovailoa initially being named the starter in Week 1.
Tagovailoa's injury casts doubt on his future with the Falcons. While it's unclear how long it will take Penix to be cleared for game action, any positive update on his status could spell the end of Tagovailoa's time as a starter before it even began.