Cooper Rush’s NFL lifeline has stretched all the way to Atlanta.
The former Cowboys backup quarterback has signed with the Falcons, according to Adam Schefter, after his lone season with the Baltimore Ravens never really got off the ground. Injuries to both Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa opened the door, and Rush now gets one more shot to show he belongs on an NFL roster.
For Rush, the margin is thin. He is not walking into a path to the starting job, and he may not even be in line for the top backup role. Penix Jr. and Tagovailoa are in a real competition at quarterback, but both are sidelined right now, which is why Atlanta brought in Rush.
The Falcons also moved on from Trevor Siemian, leaving Rush and rookie undrafted free agent Jack Strand as the only quarterbacks on the training camp roster. That makes Rush more of a camp arm than a roster lock, and unless Atlanta decides to carry three quarterbacks - a choice that has become less common in the modern NFL - he likely won’t stick.
Rush’s reputation was built over five seasons in Dallas, where he settled in as a steady, dependable backup. When Dak Prescott went down in the middle of the 2024 season, Rush stepped in and handled the job well enough to keep the Cowboys competitive. He completed 60.7% of his passes and threw 12 touchdowns, production that nearly kept the team in the mix and almost saved Mike McCarthy’s job.
That performance earned him a look from Baltimore last offseason, but the fit never worked. In two starts filling in for Lamar Jackson, Rush threw zero touchdowns and four interceptions. The Ravens quickly pivoted to Tyler Huntley, and Rush was released this offseason without the same aura of consistency he had carried out of Dallas.
Now he has to make his case again, and fast. His chances are limited, Tagovailoa is expected back on the practice field soon, and Rush needs to impress Kevin Stefanski and the rest of his new coaching staff during the practices he does get. If he can’t make an immediate impact, this could be the summer his NFL career finally runs out of road.
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