Cooper Rush’s first game with the Falcons went sideways fast, and Kevin Stefanski doubled down on the decision to keep him in the lineup.
Atlanta dropped its season opener 20-13 in Pittsburgh, with the Steelers handing the Falcons a rough start at Acrisure Stadium. With both Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa unavailable, the Falcons turned to Rush as the starter in a tough spot. He finished 12 of 22 for 145 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, including a pick-six.
Rush was also dealing with back spasms going into the game, but Atlanta’s staff still deemed him fit enough to start. That left undrafted rookie Jack Strand as the alternative, though Stefanski made clear after the game that there was never any real debate about going that direction.
When asked whether Strand was ever under consideration because of Rush’s health, Stefanski answered plainly: "Cooper was healthy and could start."
That stance is the heart of the criticism here. From the outside, Strand looked like the cleaner option if the Falcons wanted to avoid pushing a compromised Rush into a difficult road matchup. Instead, Stefanski stuck with the veteran, and the result was a performance that never found its footing.
Rush’s problems were obvious. He struggled to push the ball downfield, reportedly unable to throw beyond five air yards, and the turnovers were ugly enough to swing the game. Atlanta never made a quarterback change, even as the offense stalled and the matchup kept getting tougher.
Stefanski also said he believed Rush was close to 100% for the game, which only makes the call harder to square with what unfolded. The Falcons now move on after a loss that left plenty of questions about how the quarterback room was handled in Week 1.
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