Cooper Rush to Start for Falcons vs. Steelers With Tua Tagovailoa Ruled Out

The Atlanta Falcons have ruled out quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for Sunday's opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers due to an oblique injury, elevating Cooper Rush to the starting role.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will miss Sunday's season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers after being ruled out with an oblique injury. Coach Kevin Stefanski announced Friday that 32-year-old backup Cooper Rush will start the Week 1 contest. Tagovailoa, who was named the starter on Monday, is currently considered week-to-week after showing discomfort following a pass during Thursday's practice session.

Rush took all first-team offensive repetitions during Thursday's practice and handled all passing drills during the media viewing period on Friday. The veteran quarterback joined Atlanta on the eve of training camp and holds a 9-7 career record as a starter. Across his NFL career, Rush has completed 61.1% of his passes for 3,766 yards, recording 20 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. During the 2025 season with the Baltimore Ravens, he appeared in four games, completing 65.4% of his throws for 303 yards with four interceptions and no touchdowns.

Michael Penix Jr. will be inactive for Sunday's game despite being a full participant in practice. Penix, who is recovering from November ACL surgery, informed the team he did not feel ready for live game action. Stefanski confirmed that Penix was not considered an option to replace Tagovailoa for the opener. Tagovailoa's current oblique issue is unrelated to the tight back that affected him at the start of training camp, according to team reports.