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Falcons Name Undrafted Jack Strand Starting QB After Tua Injury

7/31/2026

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Summary

Story summary

The Atlanta Falcons named undrafted rookie Jack Strand the sole quarterback after Tua Tagovailoa’s back injury and Michael Penix’s clearance failure.
Quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt told Strand before camp that Tagovailoa would miss time and that Penix was not cleared.
The Falcons later signed veteran Cooper Rush to add depth.
Tagovailoa performed light throwing on Thursday, with coach Kevin Stefanski saying he will be back shortly.

History

Historical Context

The Atlanta Falcons last appeared in a Super Bowl on Jan 31 1999, when the Denver Broncos beat them 34–19. In 2024, after injuries left its quarterbacks unavailable, the Falcons promoted undrafted rookie Jack Strand as their sole quarterback, echoing historical instances where teams made strategic turns to undrafted players under pressure.

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Story summary

The Atlanta Falcons named undrafted rookie Jack Strand the sole quarterback after Tua Tagovailoa’s back injury and Michael Penix’s clearance failure.
Quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt told Strand before camp that Tagovailoa would miss time and that Penix was not cleared.
The Falcons later signed veteran Cooper Rush to add depth.
Tagovailoa performed light throwing on Thursday, with coach Kevin Stefanski saying he will be back shortly.

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