Tua Tagovailoa ruled out of Falcons opener against Steelers
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Tua Tagovailoa's Week 1 status takes a turn 48 hours before the Falcons' season opener against the Steelers.
Cooper Rush gets the start at Steelers.
Tagovailoa, the 2018 Heisman Trophy runner-up at Alabama, played the first eight seasons of his NFL career with the Miami Dolphins before signing a one-year deal with the Falcons this past offseason. He was a Pro Bowler in 2023, but was cut in March after throwing a career-worst 15 interceptions last season.
Tua Tagovailoa injured his oblique during practice and will not play in Week 1. Cooper Rush will get the short-notice start, impacting these Falcons stars.
Atlanta Falcons QB Tua Tagovailoa (oblique) was not present during the media-access portion of practice Friday, Sept. 11. SOURCE: Marc Raimondi - ESPN. Why It Matters: Tagovailoa
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Who will get the start for the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1? Tua Tagovailoa suffered an oblique injury during Thursday's practice and is considered day-to-day. As he recovers, Cooper Rush took all of the first-team reps as they prepare to face the Pittsburgh Steelers.
According to multiple reporters on the scene, Tagovailoa appeared to suffer some back discomfort during individual drills and briefly went down to sit on the grass. While it was unclear exactly what happened, he did not appear to throw again during the portion of practice open to media.