Cooper Rush Throws Two Interceptions in Falcons Debut as Atlanta Manages QB Injuries vs. Broncos

Cooper Rush went from a Ravens release to a Friday night starting assignment in a matter of weeks, and Thursday’s news cycle made it clear why. The 32-year-old journeyman quarterback signed with the Atlanta Falcons in late July as the team scrambled to cover a quarterback room banged up at the top, and he’s now rotating into snaps in the preseason opener against the Denver Broncos while Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. both work through injuries.

Rush is no stranger to being the answer when a roster needs a steady arm in a pinch. The eight-year veteran holds a 9-7 record in 16 career starts with the Dallas Cowboys, throwing for 3,766 yards, 20 touchdowns and 14 interceptions across stints filling in for injured starters there and later in Baltimore. His 2025 season with the Ravens was rougher, four appearances and two starts covering for an injured Lamar Jackson, completing 34 of 52 passes for 303 yards with no touchdowns and four interceptions. Baltimore released him in March after bringing back Tyler Huntley, and Rush sat as a free agent until Atlanta came calling.

Why the Falcons Needed Rush

The timing lines up directly with Atlanta’s quarterback situation heading into camp. Tagovailoa has been dealing with back tightness that limited him for the first stretch of training camp practices, while Penix is still working his way back from the torn ACL he suffered in Week 11 last season. Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed Rush’s signing came specifically because both of the team’s top options were sidelined, and the front office wanted a proven arm capable of taking real reps rather than leaning entirely on inexperienced depth. Atlanta also released Trevor Siemian with a non-football injury designation around the same time, which made Rush’s addition even more necessary for training camp reps.

Tagovailoa was ultimately cleared to start Friday’s preseason opener at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with Stefanski planning to play his starters a limited series before turning things over to the rest of the quarterback room. That plan opened the door for Rush to see extended snaps behind Tagovailoa’s brief appearance, giving Atlanta a real look at how its newest addition handles game speed against a Broncos defense that entered the night looking to make a statement of its own.

How Rush Performed Against Denver

The results through the first half were rough. Denver jumped out to a big early lead, and Rush struggled to find rhythm behind an offensive line still gelling in the preseason, completing just 6 of 13 passes for 41 yards with two interceptions. It’s the kind of uneven outing that preseason football is built for, a live look at a new signing under real pressure rather than scripted offseason reps, and it’s exactly the sample size Stefanski and the coaching staff wanted before finalizing a QB depth chart for roster cuts. Rush did connect on a 14-yard completion to Dylan Drummond, showing flashes of the timing the staff is hoping develops as he gets more comfortable in Atlanta’s system.

For a team still sorting out its expectations for the season, the preseason opener carries extra weight given the QB uncertainty at the top. Fans tracking Atlanta’s quarterback battle can follow how the numbers shift throughout the preseason via live NFL odds, which will keep adjusting as more clarity comes on both Tagovailoa’s back and Penix’s timeline.

What Comes Next

Rush’s role going forward hinges almost entirely on how quickly Tagovailoa and Penix get healthy. If Tagovailoa’s back issue clears up as expected, and Penix continues progressing toward full clearance for 11-on-11 work, Rush likely settles into a clear No. 3 role, on the roster purely as ballast in case of injury rather than a challenger for regular-season snaps. But if either recovery slows, the Falcons now have a battle-tested arm who has run an NFL offense before, something that carries real value for a team that can’t afford another midseason scramble at the position.

Penix has said his knee feels physically ready but that trusting it fully in live contact remains the final hurdle, and he still didn’t have a follow-up appointment scheduled with his surgeon as of this week. Tagovailoa’s back issue is considered minor and not expected to linger, but any setback would immediately elevate the importance of every rep Rush takes against Denver and in the preseason games that follow. For a Falcons team with real expectations attached to its quarterback room, Friday night was as much about depth insurance as it was about winning a preseason opener.