Tua Time will have to wait for the Atlanta Falcons.
The team’s anointed Week 1 starting quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, has been officially ruled out for Sunday’s opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers with an oblique injury. Cooper Rush will now start in his stead.
Tagovailoa, 28, appeared to tweak his back during Thursday’s practice in a portion of the workout that was open to media. He later appeared on the team’s injury report before being ruled out on Friday afternoon. The veteran pivot was named starter for Week 1 late last month.
Rush, officially the No. 3 QB on the depth chart behind Tagovailoa and the injured Michael Penix Jr., will be making his 17th career start and first for the Falcons. In his ninth season out of Central Michigan, Rush made two starts in 2025 for the Ravens and 14 across seven years with the Dallas Cowboys. Eight of those starts came in 2024 alone.
For his career, Rush has thrown for 3,766 yards on 364-for-596 passing with 20 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 42 appearances.
