The Atlanta Falcons opened their 2026 campaign with a 20-13 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and while they generally put up a good fight when considering how third-string quarterback Cooper Rush was forced into a spot start, a loss is a loss. Beyond that, the Falcons left this game more banged up in the injury department than they were entering the contest.
Perhaps the most concerning injury of the bunch involved veteran defensive lineman Da’Shawn Hand, who was forced out of the game with a quad injury. Reports emerged on Monday morning suggesting that Hand could miss the rest of the regular season, and head coach Kevin Stefanski recently confirmed the team’s worst fears.
Kevin Stefanski Confirms Falcons Lost Da’Shawn Hand to Season-Ending Injury
A fourth-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Hand has spent much of his career working as a reserve defensive lineman. That changed in 2024, his lone season with the Los Angeles Chargers, as Hand started all 13 games that he appeared in. His numbers weren’t anything to write home about (29 tackles, 1.5 sacks, one interception, four pass breakups), but Hand caught the attention of teams across the league with his ability to do the dirty work along the defensive line.
With Stefanski taking over as the Falcons’ head coach, he opted to bring Hand to town, as he signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the team. While Atlanta has a lot of young talent along its defensive line, Hand was viewed as a key rotational piece, especially with injuries piling up at this spot.
Unfortunately, Hand found himself subjected to the injury bug when he suffered a quad injury on Sunday. The Falcons initially feared that Hand had suffered a torn quad, which would force him to undergo season-ending surgery. Sure enough, Stefanski confirmed those fears, as he announced that Hand will be out for the rest of the year as a result of this injury.
“Coach Kevin Stefanski confirms that Da’Shawn Hand’s season is over, with quad surgery coming,” Ian Rapoport of NFL Network shared in a post on X.
Falcons Defensive Line Depth Already Being Put to the Test
Simply put, the Falcons’ defensive line is in rough shape heading into Week 2. James Pearce Jr. is currently suspended, Jalon Walker is already out for the year, and Anterio Thompson is on the reserve/non-football injury list. With Hand now also out for the season, that may force Atlanta to bring in some more help at this position.
LaCole London and Brandon Dorius will have more snaps for themselves now that Hand is out, but he was the only true reserve defensive end Stefanski had at his disposal early on in the year. Now that he’s out, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Falcons make a move at this spot in order to reinforce their depth.
Kevin Stefanski Confirms Falcons Worst Fears With Injury Update on Key Defender