Cooper Rush’s time as quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons has to be coming to an end soon.
The fans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium want to know if it’s going to happen on Sunday of Week 2 against the Carolina Panthers.
“We want Strand,” has broken out as an audible chant in the stadium multiple times.
Strand, for those who don’t know, is Jack Strand.
He’s an undrafted rookie QB, but on this day, just like in Week 1, he’s the backup QB because Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa are both out with injuries.
The boos and “we want Strand” chants are back. #Falcons
— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) September 20, 2026
The Falcons already lost in Week 1 because Rush struggled.
The fans likely figure that hey, if Rush is going to struggle, why not at least try the guy with some mystery?
Strand might not be ready, but the Falcons didn’t have to keep him around at the end of the preseason, either.
They clearly believe in him. It’s just not clear they believe in him enough in the right here and right now.
Who Is Jack Strand?
Strand is a 22-year old quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons who is the backup on their depth chart in Week 2.
He looks the part, standing 6-foot-5 and 243 pounds with notable muscles and a clearly athletic physique.
Strand grew up in the state of Wisconsin and ended up heading to play college football at a Division II school: Minnesota State-Moorhead, known as the Dragons. He had been an option quarterback in high school, which limited his recruiting exposure.
Strand broke into the starting lineup for the Dragons midway through his freshman season and began to work his way toward a record-setting career.
In his sophomore year, he threw for 36 touchdowns and broke the school’s single-season marks for attempts, completions, yards (3,914) and TDs.
As a junior, Strand threw for another 3,421 yards and 32 touchdowns — ho-hum at that point.
Strand saved his best for last, when he was a Division II First-Team All-American.
His senior stats included 3,546 passing yards and 42 touchdowns. He had a single game in which he threw seven touchdowns, and he placed fourth in voting for the Harlon Hill Trophy (the D-II Heisman equivalent).
Strand ranks top-10 all-time in Division II in passing yards, attempts and completions.
At his Pro Day, he ran a 4.78-second 40-yard dash. The Falcons brought him aboard as an undrafted free agent, and he looked awesome in the preseason — going 24-for-36 for 305 yards and a score while also running for 29 yards and two more TDs.
QB Chaos in Atlanta
The Falcons likely never thought they’d even have to think about Strand over Rush. Rush was supposed to be, at most, the QB3.
But then Michael Penix Jr. took longer than expected to get back, and Tua Tagovailoa got hurt, and all of a sudden Rush was starting.
If the two lefties had both been healthy, there’s no telling whether Rush would even be on the team.
But now, fans are chanting for Strand. He’s become an odd type of cult hero. Will he play? Stay tuned.
‘We Want Strand’ Chants Call for Falcons’ Backup QB