Tua Tagovailoa injury scare headlines Falcons’ practice ahead of Week 1 vs Steelers

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Tua Tagovailoa experienced a minor setback during Thursday’s practice, as reported by ESPN’s Marc Raimondi. During the open media portion of the session, Tagovailoa touched his back and momentarily sat down on the grass while performing individual drills. Despite this, he did not throw the football again following his injury.

Tagovailoa had been named the starting quarterback for the Falcons' 2026 NFL season, with Michael Penix Jr. still recovering from a torn ACL. The full injury report for Tagovailoa is expected later in the day, but if he cannot play in the upcoming match against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, Cooper Rush would likely start. Rush is currently the backup quarterback, also known as QB2, behind Tagovailoa.

Tagovailoa’s time with the Miami Dolphins lasted six seasons, during which he completed 2,660 passes for 18,166 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions. His tenure with the Dolphins concluded in March, when he was released. The Falcons are set to kick off their 2026 season against the Steelers on Sunday, with the game scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. ET on FOX. The play-by-play will be handled by Joe Davis and Greg Olsen.