Kevin Stefanski took a swing on Jack Strand, and two preseason games in, the bet is starting to look smart.
Atlanta didn’t go shopping for a quarterback early in the 2026 NFL Draft, even with Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa in the mix and the Falcons expected to be part of that market. Instead, the new regime used its limited draft capital elsewhere and let Stefanski keep working behind the scenes with a rookie passer he had already put his stamp on before the draft.
That player was Strand, an undrafted free agent Stefanski had called his shot on weeks earlier. The appeal was obvious enough when Atlanta brought him in for a pre-draft top 30 visit: the arm talent, the size, the mobility and the college production all gave him a real chance to stick. Still, it was a risk to lean on the youngest quarterback in the room, especially when the Falcons passed on quarterbacks such as Drew Allar or Cade Klubnik in favor of signing a D2 standout with no down of high-level experience.
So far, that decision has aged well.
The 22-year-old has been one of Atlanta’s most intriguing offseason stories, and his second preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts turned the buzz into something louder. In the Falcons’ 34-6 win, Strand played a little more than a half and looked like the clear headliner.
He finished 12 of 17 for 215 yards and a touchdown, then added nine carries for 22 rushing yards and another score. The most eye-catching part of the performance came on the deep ball, where he connected with Juice Wells and Beaux Collins.
. @AtlantaFalcons QB Jack Strand throws for 212 yards and scores 2 touchdowns in Preseason Week 2 🔥 pic.twitter.com/FVGq6WtkyV
- NFL (@NFL) August 22, 2026
For a quarterback with so little NFL experience, Strand showed a level of command that stood out. He looked comfortable in the pocket, confident with the ball and sharp enough to make it all feel routine. At times, he even looked like a player with far more pro seasoning than he actually has.
Yes, it’s preseason and yes, the competition is backups. But Strand has done enough to make Stefanski’s gamble look justified.
Atlanta could have gone another route, whether that meant signing Haynes King as a developmental piece or using one of its three seventh-round picks on a quarterback. Instead, Strand is forcing his way into the conversation about the Falcons’ long-term plans.
That doesn’t make him a future star or even a sure starter. What it does mean is that if Stefanski can mold him into a quality backup, Atlanta will have something real to hang onto if Penix or Tua run into trouble.
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