Falcons vs Steelers: Why is Tua Tagovailoa not playing today? Is he injured? Reason behind QB's Week 1 absence

The Atlanta Falcons opened their 2026 NFL season against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday without one of their key players, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

Tagovailoa had been named Atlanta's starting quarterback for Week 1 after joining the Falcons during the offseason. However, an injury suffered late in the week forced a change in plans, and he was officially ruled out on Friday before being listed inactive for Sunday's game at Acrisure Stadium.

The 28-year-old quarterback suffered an oblique injury during Thursday's practice and was seen favoring his side after attempting a pass. He was limited for the remainder of the session, while Cooper Rush received additional first-team repetitions.

With little time for Tagovailoa to recover before the season opener, Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski was forced to turn to Rush as the starting quarterback.

Rush now has the chance to lead Atlanta in its first game under head coach Stefanski. The 32-year-old has made 16 starts across 42 career appearances and holds a 9-7 record as a starting quarterback.

Atlanta's quarterback situation became even more challenging with Michael Penix Jr. also unavailable.

Penix, who started for the Falcons last season, is still recovering from the knee injury that brought his 2025 campaign to an end and was also listed inactive against Pittsburgh.

Tagovailoa's status beyond Week 1 is also unclear, while Penix could potentially reclaim the starting role once he recovers from his knee injury.

Tagovailoa entered the offseason after a difficult 2025 campaign with Miami. Although he completed 67.7% of his passes, he threw 15 interceptions in 14 games as the Dolphins finished 6-8. He was later released by Miami and joined Atlanta during the offseason.

The Falcons also did not see a consistently strong performance from Tagovailoa during the preseason, leaving the possibility open for Penix to return to the starting lineup once he is healthy.

However, Atlanta will still hope Tagovailoa's absence remains limited to Week 1 as the team begins the season with its quarterback plans already disrupted.

Ojas Jaiswal is a Content Producer at Hindustan Times, currently working with the US Desk, where he covers a wide spectrum of American sports and global news developments. From high-intensity NFL moments on the field to the latest off-court NBA storylines, he specializes in delivering engaging, audience-driven stories that blend factual accuracy with compelling narratives. A graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication from Bennett University, Ojas brings over two years of experience in digital journalism. Before joining Hindustan Times, he worked with EssentiallySports, a leading digital sports media platform catering to American sports audiences, where he contributed across multiple editorial and engagement-focused roles. He also interned with Times Network at the Sports Desk, producing articles and video content across diverse sports, ranging from Formula 1 to football. Known for his commitment to factual and accurate reporting, Ojas was awarded a Certificate of Excellence in Editing during his college years. Beyond sports journalism, he closely follows international affairs and global developments, while also exploring documentaries from different cultures and regions around the world. A lifelong football enthusiast, Ojas has admired Lionel Messi since childhood and continues to draw inspiration from the football icon’s journey and legacy.Read More