The quarterback situation in Atlanta has become more concerning.
Tua Tagovailoa aggravated his oblique during the Falcons' Thursday practice session, leading to a limited participation status on the team's practice report.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Tagovailoa is day to day with the injury and his status for the Week 1 opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers is to be determined.
Backup Cooper Rush told reporters after practice that he received every rep with the first string, signaling coach Kevin Stefanski might be preparing to begin his first season in Atlanta with the veteran as his starter out of necessity.
"I'm not sure what happened," Rush said. "It's Thursday practice. Practice has to go on, and so you're up next.
"We'll see what happens."
Tagovailoa's late-week health hurdle isn't the first challenge he's encountered in his relatively short time with the Falcons. The former first-round pick also began camp on the injury report due to a back ailment, forcing Atlanta to rely on undrafted free agent Jack Strand and quickly move to add Rush via free agency.
Two weeks ago, it appeared as if Michael Penix Jr. was nearing a return from his knee injury just in time for the start of the regular season. That optimism faded this week when Penix was ruled out for Week 1, telling reporters he's very close to being ready, but wasn't quite there yet.
With Penix out, the plan shifted to Tagovailoa. Thursday's events may force Stefanski to adjust once again and turn to Rush, a 32-year-old NFL veteran with 42 games of experience, including 16 starts.
For now, it's a worrisome sign that the Falcons might have to begin 2026 with a quarterback they hoped would spend 2026 as the third-string option. Tagovailoa still has two days left to recover enough to be able to play in Pittsburgh on Sunday.