The Falcons’ quarterback situation may finally be turning a corner.
Atlanta has spent the first two weeks of the 2026 NFL season with Cooper Rush under center, and that was never the setup the team expected to be dealing with this early. Michael Penix Jr. still hasn’t returned, but the latest word on his status is a lot more optimistic than what the Falcons have been working with so far.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport, Penix is now very much in the mix for Week 3 and could make his 2026 debut Thursday night against the Green Bay Packers. As Rapoport and Schefter put it, "The Atlanta Falcons' frustrating quarterback picture is finally clearing up," and "Michael Penix Jr., the Falcons' preferred starter, is nearing a return and could make his 2026 debut Thursday night against the Green Bay Packers, according to sources."
That’s not a guarantee, but it is a real shift for a team that has been waiting for its preferred starter to get healthy. Penix has been close through the first two weeks, just not close enough to go.
The short week adds another wrinkle. A Thursday game gives Penix less time than he would have for a Sunday kickoff, so Week 3 is a tougher target than it would normally be. Even so, the fact that he’s being discussed as a legitimate option for next week says plenty about where things stand.
If he doesn’t get the green light against Green Bay, Week 4 now looks like the next likely opening for his return.
Atlanta badly needs that boost. Rush struggled in Week 1, and the passing game never really got off the ground. Tua Tagovailoa is dealing with an oblique injury suffered in practice and won’t be available yet either, while Jack Strand, an undrafted rookie free agent, is a fun option but not one the Falcons can count on.
For now, nothing is official. But this is the kind of update that changes the mood around a team quickly, and it gives Falcons fans something real to watch as Thursday night approaches.
In Other News...
Falcons Created A Quarterback Problem They Never Should Have Had
Atlantas quarterback picture got messy fast in Week 2, and it was a mess the Falcons helped create. With Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa dealing with injuries, the team turned to Cooper Rush to start against the Panthers, a move that quickly became a referendum on how the situation was handled from the outset. Rush struggled enough that Atlanta had to keep searching for a better answer as the game wore on.
Late in the fourth quarter, the Falcons finally made the switch to undrafted rookie Jack Strand, a move that only added another layer to the frustration. Strands first extended action ended almost immediately with a pick-six, turning a bad quarterback day into a harder one to defend. The bigger issue now is not just who was under center, but how Atlanta arrived at a point where it had to improvise on the fly. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Suddenly Have A Bigger Problem Than Just An 0-2 Start
The Falcons Week 2 home loss to the Panthers brought a familiar kind of frustration on the scoreboard, but it also left Atlanta dealing with a more immediate concern. Falling to 0-2 for the first time since 2020 is one thing; watching the offense sputter badly enough to trigger a quarterback change in the middle of the game is another, and it underscored how quickly the seasons early narrative has turned.
Bryce Young and Carolina added to the discomfort, with the Panthers quarterback continuing to give Atlanta problems and the Falcons defense struggling to slow him down. The injury situation made the afternoon even messier, with A.J. Terrell leaving with a groin issue and not returning, while other Falcons also went down, giving the team plenty to sort through before the week even turns. [Read more 🡒]
Drake Londons Frustration Said Everything About Atlantas Offensive Mess
Drake Londons body language said plenty Sunday in Atlantas home opener, where the Falcons fell into a deep hole against Carolina and never found much rhythm on offense. The third-year receiver, fresh off a four-year, $141 million extension, was shown on the sideline looking visibly frustrated as the Falcons attack sputtered around him, turning the ball over four times and settling for just one field goal.
London finished with two catches for 29 yards, a modest line that fit the larger story of an offense that looked out of sync from the start. With Cooper Rush starting because of injuries to Michael Penix and Tua Tagovailoa, the quarterback picture remains unsettled, and the larger concern for Atlanta is whether there is any quick fix for an offense that has already started to feel stuck. [Read more 🡒]