Atlanta Falcons quarterback Cooper Rush said that he took all of the first-team reps at practice Thursday after Tua Tagovailoa sustained another injury, according to The Athletic's Josh Kendall.
Tagovailoa is dealing with an oblique injury that officially made him a limited participant during Thursday's practice session.
The 28-year-old went down to the ground in visible pain at practice before jogging off the field.
Tua Tagovailoa's back injury at practice on Thursday:
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) September 10, 2026
(via @ReggieChatman)pic.twitter.com/RB9P7bRLX0
The severity of Tagovailoa's latest injury and his status for Week 1 remain unclear. He also battled what the Falcons described as a minor back issue early in training camp.
Tagovailoa was named the Falcons' starter for their season opener after winning the job at camp. Michael Penix Jr., who was also a candidate for the QB1 role, will be inactive in Week 1 as he continues to recover from an ACL injury suffered in 2025. Penix was cleared late in training camp to return to team drills at practice.
Tagovailoa signed a one-year deal with Atlanta after being released by the Miami Dolphins. He's still owed about $54 million in guaranteed salary by Miami after the club released him just two seasons into a four-year, $212.4-million extension.
Rush joined the Falcons on a one-year, $1.3-million contract in July after spending last season with the Baltimore Ravens. The 32-year-old has started 16 games during his eight-year career, primarily with the Dallas Cowboys from 2021-24. He's thrown for 3,766 passing yards with 20 touchdowns and 14 interceptions since entering the NFL.
Atlanta kicks off its season against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET.
