Coach Stefanski on Falcons QB situation: 'Not ruling anybody out'

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  Marc RaimondiSep 16, 2026, 12:48 PM ET

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  Marc Raimondi's first year covering the Falcons was 2024, but it wasn't his first year at ESPN. He joined the company in 2019 and was a top combat sports reporter. He also covered professional wrestling and wrote the book "Say Hello to the Bad Guys: How Pro Wrestling's New World Order Changed America," which was published by Simon & Schuster in 2025. Raimondi also worked for the New York Post and Newsday, beginning in 2009, covering high school and college sports, plus the NFL, NFL, MLB and NHL.

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Atlanta Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski said the team is not sure who will be the quarterback Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. But he is "not ruling anybody out."

Cooper Rush, the team's third-string quarterback, got the start last Sunday in a 20-13 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Rush had a tough go: 12-of-22 passing for 143 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Rush's 2.6 QBR in Week 1 was last in the league.

Tua Tagovailoa (oblique) is still day-to-day, Stefanski said. He will not practice Wednesday. Rush is also not 100% healthy. He had a flareup of back spasms last Saturday and is still getting treatment, Stefanski said. However, Rush will be a full participant at practice Wednesday.

Stefanski would not say that if Tagovailoa is healthy that he will be the starter.

"Of course, ideal world, I think everybody, every team, you'd love to know who's playing at every position," Stefanski said. "That's a no-brainer. I get that part. But we're going to be flexible and make sure that we're giving all of our guys the ability to go play and play well."

Michael Penix Jr., who is coming back from left ACL surgery, still has not indicated that he is ready for live game action. Penix is fully cleared to practice, though.

And then there's undrafted rookie Jack Strand out of Division II Minnesota State-Moorhead, who was the team's best quarterback in preseason games. Strand has not gotten many practice reps since the end of training camp. But he remains a possibility for Sunday, too.

"Jack is not being ruled out for this game," Stefanski said.