How Former Cowboys QB's Arrival Left Falcons Little Time for Introductions

The Atlanta Falcons swapped quarterbacks on the first day of training camp, tapping up former Cowboys QB Cooper Rush, who was at home in Dallas on Tuesday night.

QB Cooper Rush was already on the practice field when the Atlanta Falcons announced his signing. | Scott Kennedy, Atlanta Falcons On SI

What an opening day of preseason training camp it was for the Atlanta Falcons.

Before even rolling out the footballs for their first practice on Wednesday, July 29, news continued to break from the Falcons’ Flowery Branch team facility.

Running back Bijan Robinson didn’t practice and is reportedly staging a “hold-in” for a lucrative contract for his All-Pro services heading into the 2026 season.

Furthermore, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was ruled  inactive due to a minor back injury flare-up. His quarterback competitor, Michael Penix Jr., could need another four weeks to be cleared to return from a torn ACL sustained last November.

Undrafted rookie Jack Strand took most of the quarterback reps on Wednesday after the quarterback injury announcements. 

The Falcons also landed a surprise early-morning addition of Cooper Rush, a longtime reserve quarterback entering his 10th season. 

He took practice snaps immediately after signing, before he could even have small talk with his new Atlanta teammates.

“Um, in the huddle. That was my first time,” wide receiver Jahan Dotson told reporters when asked when his and Rush’s initial conversation was. 

“I walked over this morning at about 6:50-7 o’clock, and he was out there trying out. And the first time I talked to him was in the huddle.”

Hours before training camp, Rush was a free agent sitting at his Dallas home when the Falcons called. It’s his fourth team in his NFL career, joining the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, and, most recently, the Baltimore Ravens.

Rush admitted he hasn’t rubbed elbows with many of the current Falcons players throughout his decade-long NFL career. He added he only packed for a week.

“Yeah, I met a lot of people today,” Rush said. “Things happened really fast. Football has a way of bringing guys together quickly, so I don’t think it’ll be too bad.”

Falcons right guard Chris Lindstrom has an existing connection with Rush through his brother, Alec Lindstrom. Alec Lindstrom and Rush played together in Dallas.

“I did not. Not yet. I will after this,” Chris Lindstrom said following practice when asked if he spoke to Rush yet. “He’s awesome. I got a text from my brother, who played with him on the Cowboys, and he said he’s a great guy. Looking forward to it.”

Offensive tackle Wanya Morris added that he found out Rush was coming to Atlanta on the news Wednesday morning.

Rush, 32, has played in 38 games and started in 16. He’s passed for 3,766 passing yards, 20 touchdowns against 14 interceptions on a 61% completion rate. He has a 9-7 record as a starter.

Rush is the newest addition to Atlanta’s rolodex of quarterbacks as the team must determine who will start on Week 1 at the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 13.

But the Falcons receivers aren’t letting the question of who will orchestrate the Atlanta offense become a distraction, says Dotson.

“For us, one thing we really preach is control what you can control,” Dotson said. “What we can control as receivers is going out there, getting open, and catching the ball. It doesn’t matter who’s under center, who’s throwing to us – whether it’s our receivers coach, one of the quarterbacks, quarterback coaches – it doesn’t matter. But it’s good getting reps with all the guys because you never know what can happen. I’ve seen some crazy things happen in this league.”

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