Atlanta Falcons starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has been ruled out of the team's Week 1 season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers due to an oblique injury. Head coach Kevin Stefanski announced that Tagovailoa is considered "week-to-week." The injury is not related to a back issue that caused him to miss some practice time earlier in training camp.
Veteran quarterback Cooper Rush will step in as the starter for Sunday's game. Rush, who has eight seasons of NFL experience, most recently spent time with the Baltimore Ravens after a tenure with the Dallas Cowboys. Undrafted free agent Jack Strand from Minnesota State Moorhead is slated to be Rush's backup.
This marks the sixth consecutive season the Falcons will have a different starting quarterback for their Week 1 game. Michael Penix Jr., the team's 2024 first-round draft pick, was also previously ruled out for the opener. Penix, who started nine games last season before tearing his ACL in Week 11, has stated he is close to full strength but wants to feel 100 percent before returning to the field.