FALCONS SIGN COOPER RUSH AFTER TAGOVAILOA AND PENIX JR. INJURIES

The Atlanta Falcons signed veteran quarterback Cooper Rush on Wednesday ahead of their opening training camp practice. The move came after Tua Tagovailoa, signed by the franchise in the offseason, was ruled out with a back injury, and Michael Penix Jr. remained unavailable whilst rehabbing an ACL tear. Head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed that Tagovailoa would not fully participate in practice, with reports indicating the quarterback is dealing with a "tight back". Stefanski stated the team hoped Tagovailoa would rejoin the squad "sooner rather than later".

Rush is entering his tenth NFL season and will play for his fourth team. The quarterback went undrafted in 2017 and joined the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent, where he backed up Dak Prescott for several years. In 2024, Rush started eight games for Dallas, recording a 4–4 record whilst throwing for 1,844 yards and 12 touchdowns. He subsequently moved to the Baltimore Ravens in 2025, making two starts as a substitute for Lamar Jackson before joining Atlanta.

The signings reflect significant changes to the Falcons' quarterback room during the offseason. Tagovailoa joined Atlanta after a disappointing season with the Miami Dolphins that resulted in his benching. The Falcons previously had Kirk Cousins as backup to Penix Jr., marking a substantial restructuring of the position ahead of the 2026 season.