Jack Strand is over there on the sideline, and some want the quarterback into the game instead of Cooper Rush.
Would that actually happen? It’s hard to say.
But right now it’s Cooper Rush, and the Falcons’ offense has struggled so far early in the season.
The simplest reason that Strand isn’t playing is this: He’s an undrafted rookie from the Division II ranks.
That doesn’t automatically mean anything bad, but it does make it tougher to expect that he’d truly be ready for the NFL.
Strand has shown enough in his opportunities before the regular season, though, to at least have some believers.
Strand is a 22-year old quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons.
He looks the part, standing 6-foot-5 and 243 pounds with notable muscles, which you can see in the picture atop this article.
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.
Strand broke into the starting lineup for the Dragons midway through his freshman season and never looked back.
In his sophomore year, he threw for 36 touchdowns and broke the school’s single-season records for attempts, completions, yards (3,914) and TDs.
As a junior, Strand threw for another 3,421 yards and 32 touchdowns.
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 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.
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, Rush is trying to manufacture some points, and Strand is just one play away from being on the field.
Why Jack Strand Isn’t Playing QB for Falcons Behind Cooper Rush