Atlanta Falcons quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered an oblique strain at practice this week, adding fresh uncertainty to a position already under intense scrutiny ahead of the new season. Tagovailoa, who took over the starting role largely by default while Michael Penix Jr recovered from injury, is now being assessed day-to-day, with backup Cooper Rush taking first-team reps under new head coach Kevin Stefanski. The setback comes after a preseason in which Tagovailoa's inconsistent form had already raised doubts about the team's plan to have him hold the fort until Penix was ready to reclaim the starting job.

Tagovailoa, acquired after his release by the Miami Dolphins, was seen grabbing at his back during a throwing drill before sitting down on the grass and later jogging off; he threw no further passes during the media-viewed portion of practice. Penix, meanwhile, is still working back from a torn left ACL sustained in Week 11 last season, his third such injury since college, and had reportedly been closing in on reclaiming the starting job even before Tagovailoa's injury. Should Tagovailoa be unable to play, Cooper Rush, who has started 16 games in eight NFL seasons, is expected to start, with undrafted rookie Jack Strand as his likely backup.