THE GAME. THE STORIES. THE WHY.
Independent football coverage●Our standards
whynfl
EXPLOREPower rankingsLeague leadersTeam statsInjuriesOddsTransactionsShortsRivalriesRecordsTV scheduleBye weeksEVENTSSuper BowlPro BowlCombineDraftPlayoffsWeb StoriesALL FOOTBALL. ALL IN.
WEEK 5
  1. Q1 3:29NYG0WAS6
  2. Q1 2:46CLE3NYJ7
  3. Q1 0:41MIN3NO0
  4. Q1 1:30LV7NE14
  5. Q1 2:17HOU3TEN3
  6. Q1 2:05IND6PIT7
  7. Q2 14:56CHI0GB14
  8. Q1 4:51CIN7MIA7
  9. Sun 4:05 pmDENLAC
  10. Sun 4:25 pmSFSEA
  11. Sun 4:25 pmDETARI
  12. Sun 8:20 pmBALATL
  13. Mon 8:15 pmBUFLAR
  14. FinalTB24DAL16
  15. FinalPHI17JAX19
Find your next read

Search whynfl

Go deeper on the game you love.
News

Cooper Rush’s Week 2 start ended with a switch to Jack Strand

2 min read Comments
Share ↗
WhatsApp Facebook X
Saved articles

Your reading list is saved on this browser.

Your reaction

Rush started the September 20 loss to Carolina before Strand replaced him. Michael Penix Jr. returned the following week against Green Bay.

w.
WhyNFL Sports DeskPublished Updated
WHYNFL briefingUpdated: Sep 18, 2026, 7:50 pm EDT.

whynfl’s attributed briefing and context. No on-scene reporting or independent medical assessment is claimed.

October 1 update: Rush’s Week 2 start is complete

Cooper Rush started Atlanta’s September 20 game against Carolina, but Jack Strand replaced him in the third quarter of a 34-3 loss. Rush completed 10 of 17 passes for 86 yards, threw two interceptions and lost a fumble.

Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa were inactive for that game. The original announcement that Rush would start applied to Week 2, and Atlanta’s quarterback order changed the following week.

Penix returned in Week 3

Penix made his season debut at Green Bay on September 24, helping the Falcons win 35-14. Tagovailoa was available as his backup, while Rush was designated the emergency third quarterback and Strand was inactive.

The why matters.

See something that needs a second look? Read our corrections policy.

Join the conversation

Use a name or stay anonymous. No account or email required. Comments are reviewed before appearing.

Up to 3,000 characters

No published comments yet. Start the conversation.