The Steelers’ Week 1 prep suddenly has a new wrinkle, and it starts with Atlanta’s quarterback room.
According to ESPN’s Marc Raimondi, Falcons starter Tua Tagovailoa appeared to be dealing with a back issue during Thursday’s practice and did not throw again during the portion of practice open to the media.
"During the open media portion of practice, QB Tua Tagovailoa touched his back and sat down on the grass briefly during individual drills Thursday," Raimondi wrote on X. "It was unclear exactly what had happened. He didn’t seem to throw again after, but media only gets to watch a small portion of practice."
Tagovailoa was named Atlanta’s starter earlier this week over 2024 first-round pick Michael Penix Jr., who is dealing with a knee injury but was listed as a full participant on the team’s most recent injury report on September 9. If Tagovailoa can’t go, the Falcons would be forced to pivot again.
That would put Cooper Rush in line to take over next. Rush spent Mike McCarthy’s entire five-year run with the Cowboys from 2020 to 2024, then played last season with the Baltimore Ravens. Pittsburgh knows him from that stint, and the numbers are hard to miss: he went 0-2 in his starts for Baltimore, with no touchdowns, four interceptions and 303 passing yards on 52 attempts.
There’s also undrafted free agent Jack Strand on Atlanta’s roster as the fourth quarterback, though a move that far down the depth chart against Pittsburgh feels unlikely.
For the Steelers, the uncertainty only adds to what already looked like a favorable setup on defense. Tagovailoa was cut by the Miami Dolphins this offseason and signed a one-year deal with the Falcons, and he missed the first week or so of training camp because of lower back spasms. That leaves open the possibility that the same issue is still lingering.
Pittsburgh also has recent tape against Tagovailoa to lean on. In a Week 15 Monday Night Football matchup last season, he threw for 253 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in what ended up being his final game for Miami, a 28-15 Steelers win.
The Steelers had been preparing for Tagovailoa and believed the matchup tilted their way, especially with his limitations as a passer and runner. That edge would only grow if he’s unable to play and Rush is forced into action.
Even then, Atlanta still has Bijan Robinson, who led the league in scrimmage yards last season with 2,298. If Rush starts, the Steelers would need to put even more attention on the run game.
Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham has likely already mapped out how to keep Robinson from taking over, and Pittsburgh has the interior defensive linemen and edge rushers - especially T.J. Watt - to make life difficult.
Stopping Robinson outright is another matter. But if the Steelers can bottle him up enough and let their pass rush pressure whoever is under center, that may be enough to tilt the opener their way.
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Steelers Opener Suddenly Comes With A Big Tua Concern
The Steelers season opener already has the usual early-week nerves attached to it, and now the spotlight has shifted to Tua Tagovailoa after a concerning moment at Falcons practice. During individual drills, Tagovailoa briefly reached for his back and sat down, then stayed on the field without throwing again during the portion open to reporters, leaving the situation a little murky heading into game week.
Atlanta has not offered an official update, and for Pittsburgh the bigger question is whether the quarterbacks status changes by kickoff. The Falcons have already named Tagovailoa their starter for the opener, with Cooper Rush next in line if needed, but until there is more clarity, the Steelers will be preparing for a game plan that could hinge on how that back issue responds. [Read more 🡒]