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NFL·PREVIEW·September 18, 2026 03:46 PM ET

Stefanski confirms Cooper Rush for Sunday's Falcons start

Michael Penix Jr. already has been ruled out.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Sep 181 min read
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Coach Stefanski confirms Cooper Rush will be the starting QB on Sunday https://t.co/79doTnEy28

What happened: Rush took Atlanta's first-team reps ahead of Week 2 as the club moved toward its Sunday quarterback plan. Jack Strand has been lined up as the backup, while Michael Penix Jr. already was ruled out for Sunday.

Why it matters: Quarterback clarity settles one of Atlanta's biggest Week 2 questions before Sunday's game with Carolina. It also extends Cooper Rush's run atop Atlanta's depth chart after he opened the week taking the lead reps.

What to watch: Atlanta's inactive list will lock in the rest of the quarterback order on Sunday. The next depth-chart update will show whether Rush keeps the job beyond Week 2.

Sources

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