Tua Tagovailoa won’t be under center for his much-anticipated return to Pittsburgh this Sunday, and honestly, the Falcons might have a full-blown QB crisis on their hands. Tagovailoa has been officially ruled out for the season opener against the Steelers, a brutal blow coming from an oblique injury he picked up during individual drills on Thursday. Talk about a gut punch. You’re expecting your starter for Week 1, and two days before kickoff, he’s sidelined by something in practice? That’s rough.
Cooper Rush Is In, and The Stakes For Tua Just Went Nuclear
With Tua out, veteran Cooper Rush is stepping in to lead the Falcons. Usually, an opposing squad would be hyped to face a backup, right? But the Steelers, who absolutely stomped Tua last December in a performance that led to his benching and eventual release from his previous team, might actually be disappointed. Think about that: the team that basically ended his last gig is possibly bummed they don’t get another shot at him. What does that tell you about where Tua’s stock is at? The betting lines have already reacted, big time. The Steelers instantly jumped from 3.5-point favorites to a whopping 6-point favorite after the Tua news broke. That’s a huge shift, telling you exactly what the oddsmakers think about Rush compared to Tua.
The Falcons’ Quarterback Carousel Is Spinning Way Too Fast
This isn’t just about one missed game. The situation for Tua is getting incredibly dicey. If Rush comes out and performs well enough to snag a second start in Week 2 against the Panthers, and if Michael Penix Jr. still isn’t ready to roll, then what? The writing was already on the wall, with a “strong possibility” Tua would be cut if he was benched again. Now, if Rush can jump a healthy Tua on the depth chart, the Falcons could genuinely move on from Tagovailoa. It’s a brutal reality, but the business of football waits for no one, especially a quarterback with his recent history. And get this: if Rush somehow gets hurt on Sunday, we’re talking about undrafted rookie Jack Strand making his debut. The source even says Strand, with time and reps, “could be the best current option on the depth chart.” That’s a wild take for an undrafted rookie to potentially be ahead of a former first-round pick, even with an injury.
This Sunday isn’t just a game for the Falcons, it’s an audition for Cooper Rush, and it’s a high-stakes moment for Tua Tagovailoa’s entire future with the team. What happens against Pittsburgh will set the tone not just for Week 2 against the Panthers, but for the rest of the season, and potentially beyond, for the Falcons’ quarterback room. This is going to be wild.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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