The Falcons moved quickly on July 29, adding veteran quarterback Cooper Rush as injuries began to pile up in training camp and thin out the room.
ESPN insider Adam Schefter reported, “With Atlanta QB Tua Tagovailoa dealing with a tight back and Michael Penix still not practicing due to a knee injury, the Falcons are signing veteran quarterback Cooper Rush, per sources.”
Atlanta had suddenly been left scrambling for healthy arms. According to ESPN’s Marc Raimondi, Tagovailoa is expected to miss practice because of the tight back, though he should return next week.
Penix still has not been cleared for 11-on-11 team drills after suffering the injury last season, and Raimondi also reported that the Falcons released Trevor Siemian because of an injury. That left undrafted rookie Jack Strand as the only healthy quarterback on the roster before Rush arrived.
Rush gives Atlanta a proven backup with plenty of game reps. He spent seven seasons with the Cowboys as a steady reserve before landing a two-year, $6.2 million deal with the Baltimore Ravens in 2025. Baltimore released him in March, making him a free agent.
His time with the Ravens was brief, but he did see the field. Rush played in four games last season and started two, finishing with 303 passing yards, no touchdowns and four interceptions.
Rush’s exit from Dallas came with a note of gratitude. “From an undrafted rookie wearing #7 to an eight year veteran wearing #10, I appreciated every moment in a Cowboys uniform,” Rush wrote on Instagram after his departure in 2025.
“Thank you Dallas for all of the love that you showed to me and family. I’m excited for the next chapter but forever grateful for the first one.”
While Rush heads to Atlanta, the Cowboys are sorting out their own backup quarterback battle behind Dak Prescott. Sam Howell and Joe Milton are competing for the job in camp, and coach Brian Schottenheimer had already highlighted both earlier this year. “Sam was a guy, we watched the film, we were like, man, if we could have Sam Howell and Joe Milton on this football team and give those guys both a chance to compete,” Schottenheimer said in March.
For the Falcons, the move is about keeping things steady while the injuries sort themselves out.
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