After their loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday afternoon, the Atlanta Falcons are now 2-4, which is technically still right in the thick of things in the NFC South, but Atlanta is going in the wrong direction, and as a result of some recent poor QB play, the front office is deciding to do a little shake-up of how the QB room looks.
On Monday morning, the Falcons signed veteran quarterback Andy Dalton, which spelled bad news for another veteran QB on Atlanta’s roster.
As the corresponding move to signing Dalton, Cooper Rush is being released by the Falcons, as the two sides have officially parted ways.
Atlanta Falcons Release Cooper Rush
It’s not exactly a surprising move, as the Falcons started 0-2 under Cooper Rush to start the 2026 campaign, and once Michael Penix Jr. returned from injury, Rush’s time getting any meaningful snaps was pretty much over.
The real question about these recent roster transactions is whether Andy Dalton is coming in to back up Penix Jr. and if Penix Jr. is dealing with another injury. Also, it’s interesting to think about what these roster moves mean for Tua Tagovailoa, who was thought to be the backup for Penix Jr., but that could no longer be the case.
NBCSports.com’s Michael David Smith wrote (about the transactions made by the Falcons on Monday AM):
“The 38-year-old Dalton was traded from Carolina to Philadelphia in March and played in one game for the Eagles, throwing an interception while Jalen Hurts was being checked with a concussion. The Eagles cut him shortly after that, but when Hurts had to go on injured reserve with a blood clot, they wanted Dalton back. Dalton had other offers.”
Those ‘other’ options for Dalton clearly included the Falcons, and it will be interesting to see what role he serves with the organization in the coming weeks.
Taking a Quick Look at Cooper Rush This Season
Cooper Rush started two games for the Falcons in 2026. His QB record was 0-2, and he completed 56% of his passes for 229 total yards.
Rush threw one touchdown pass for the Falcons, but he was intercepted four times, which immediately resulted in fans calling for his job.
However, Rush is an NFL veteran QB of nine years, including seven seasons with the Dallas Cowboys (mostly as a backup).
He holds a career record of 9-9, and has completed 61% of passes for 3995 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions.
It will be interesting to see if he latches on with another NFL team’s practice squad in the coming weeks.
Atlanta Falcons Officially Part Ways with Veteran QB After Bears Loss