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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Tua Tagovailoa got a bit banged up during Thursday’s practice. According to ESPN’s Marc Raimondi, Tagovailoa touched his back and briefly sat down on the grass during individual drills. MORE: Netflix drops epic trailer for 49ers-Rams’ historic Australia game This happened during the open media portion of practice, and he didn’t seem to throw again after tweaking his back. Tagovailoa was named the Falcons’ starting quarterback entering the 2026 NFL season since Michael Penix Jr. continues to recover from a torn ACL. He’s not ready for game action just yet. The full injury report will be revealed later in the day, but if Tagovailoa can’t go on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cooper Rush would be in line to start. Rush is listed as the QB2 behind Tagovailoa right now. Tua Tagovailoa’s Miami Dolphins tenure Tagovailoa spent the first six seasons of his career with the Miami Dolphins before they released him in March. He finished the 2025 season with 2,660 yards through the air, 20 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions. He finished his Dolphins tenure with 18,166 yards through the air, 120 touchdowns, and 59 interceptions. Week 1 looms The Falcons will open their 2026 campaign in Pittsburgh against Mike McCarthy and the Steelers on Sunday. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET on FOX. Joe Davis and Greg Olsen will have the call. — Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories with The Big Lead Newsletter —