Four quarterbacks, no answer
Kevin Stefanski carries four quarterbacks on his depth chart and would not name one of them as his starter against Carolina. “We will have a quarterback, yes, for this week,” the Falcons head coach said on Wednesday. That was as far as he went.
Tua Tagovailoa sat out Wednesday’s practice with the right oblique injury that ruled him out two days before the season opener at Pittsburgh. Stefanski called the 28-year-old day-to-day and stopped short of promising him the job even if he trains.
Cooper Rush started that opener and is now nursing a sore back. The 32-year-old, added during training camp as a third-stringer, completed 12 of 22 passes for 143 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions in the 20-13 defeat.
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Penix pushes, the staff holds its timetable
Michael Penix Jr. practised on Wednesday and split first-team reps with Rush. The 26-year-old took over as starter in 2025, tore an ACL after nine games and needed surgery, which kept him out of the camp competition with Tagovailoa. He was inactive on Sunday.
“I’m working extremely hard,” Penix said. “I’m dying to be out there.”
Stefanski declined to rule him out and declined to promise him anything. “I’m not trying to be coy,” he said. “I’m just not ruling anybody out. Continue to work through it. We’re all on the same page between myself, the medical team, Mike.”
Atlanta’s insurance policy is a rookie
The fourth name is Jack Strand, 22, an undrafted rookie Atlanta kept on the active roster precisely because Penix and Tagovailoa both arrived carrying injury histories. Stefanski was asked about him too. “Jack is not being ruled out for this game.”
Atlanta host Carolina on Sunday with both teams 0-1. Cornerback A.J. Terrell missed Wednesday’s session with a shoulder problem and guard Chris Lindstrom sat out with a concussion, so quarterback is not the only spot Stefanski is working around before kick-off.
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