Falcons Sign Cooper Rush as Tua Tagovailoa Sidelined With Back Injury

Atlanta quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is out of practice with a back flare-up, prompting the Falcons to sign 32-year-old veteran Cooper Rush.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was officially sidelined for Wednesday's training camp session following what head coach Kevin Stefanski characterized as a back "flare-up." The 26-year-old signal-caller, who joined the franchise after a stint with the Miami Dolphins, is currently experiencing tightness that will keep him off the grass for the immediate future. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that while the ailment is not viewed as a long-term crisis, the medical staff has recommended a period of rest. Stefanski indicated that the primary passer should return to active duty within the next seven days, specifically targeting a comeback for next week’s scheduled drills.

Key details

To mitigate the sudden lack of available arms, the Falcons front office finalized a contract with 32-year-old veteran Cooper Rush on Wednesday morning. Rush brings a resume that includes eight seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and a four-game appearance for the Baltimore Ravens during the previous campaign. This transaction occurred immediately after the team moved to waive Trevor Siemian. The veteran Siemian was released with a non-football injury designation, a move that cleared a roster spot but further thinned a depth chart already reeling from physical setbacks.

The current state of the roster left Jack Strand as the lone healthy quarterback participating in full-speed reps during the opening of camp. Strand, an undrafted rookie free agent, arrived in Atlanta following a collegiate career at Division II Minnesota State Moorhead. The sheer lack of personnel prompted Stefanski to humorously dismiss any notion of team president Matt Ryan returning to the field, despite the former MVP being present at the facility. The head coach emphasized that the unpredictable nature of the NFL requires immediate adaptability when the depth hierarchy is disrupted by medical issues.

Latest developments

Compounding the situation is the ongoing rehabilitation of Michael Penix Jr., who held the starting role in Week 1 of the previous season. Penix is currently recovering from a major surgical procedure to repair a torn right ACL suffered in November. While the young quarterback showed progress by participating in 7-on-7 drills and individual work during the spring program, he has not yet been granted medical clearance for 11-on-11 team sessions. Stefanski noted that the timeline for Penix to engage in full-contact football remains uncertain and is entirely dependent on the evaluation of the team's orthopedic specialists.

The Falcons' quarterback room, which was expected to be a position of strength entering the 2026 season, has been described by league sources as "suddenly injury-ravaged." With Tagovailoa and Penix both unavailable for standard team periods, the workload will shift heavily toward Rush and Strand. The signing of Rush provides a necessary veteran buffer, as he has proven capable of managing an offense on short notice during his tenure in Dallas. The coaching staff will now focus on integrating the newcomer into the playbook while monitoring Tagovailoa’s daily progress.

Wednesday's practice schedule proceeded with a heavy emphasis on the run game and defensive alignments to compensate for the limited passing options. The organization remains optimistic that the back tightness affecting Tagovailoa is a minor hurdle rather than a recurring structural problem. However, the simultaneous absence of the top two players on the depth chart has forced an early test of the team's contingency planning. The Falcons will continue their training camp circuit with a makeshift rotation until the medical tent clears.