By admin 
The Atlanta Falcons are on the road Sunday afternoon as they travel to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in an interconference matchup during Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season.
Read more Final Injury Report for Buccaneers-Bengals: Will Ja’Marr Chase, Emeka Egbuka Play?
Atlanta enters Sunday’s game looking to grab a key road victory to begin the season as the Falcons try to bounce back after narrowly missing the playoffs last season.
Pittsburgh enters Sunday’s contest looking to grab a victory at home as they begin a new chapter under head coach Mike McCarthy after moving on from Mike Tomlin following last season’s Wild Card defeat.
While both teams are looking to pick up a victory in Sunday afternoon’s matchup, each may be without some of their key players due to injuries.
Falcons Injury Report: Will Tua Tagovailoa, Michael Penix Jr. Play?
The Falcons have five players listed on their injury report, including quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr.
Atlanta has ruled out Tagovailoa due to an oblique injury that he suffered on Thursday as he will miss the team’s season opener after being named their starting quarterback entering the season.
The Falcons have also ruled out Penix Jr. as he continues to recover from ACL surgery that he underwent after tearing his left ACL last season.
With both Tagovailoa and Penix Jr. sidelined for Sunday’s game, Cooper Rush will start at quarterback for the Falcons while Jack Strand will be his backup.
Read more Final Injury Report for Jets-Titans: Will Breece Hall Play?
Falcons game statuses:
Out
CB Billy Bowman (Achilles)
QB Michael Penix (knee)
QB Tua Tagovailoa (oblique)
OT Cameron Williams (ankle)
Questionable
DE Za’Darius Smith (shoulder)
Doubtful
N/A
— Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) September 11, 2026
Cornerback Billy Bowman has also been ruled out due to an Achilles injury while offensive tackle Cameron Williams is out with an ankle injury.
Defensive end Za’Darius Smith has been listed as questionable due to a shoulder injury and he is in danger of missing Atlanta’s season opener.
Steelers Injury Report: Will Joey Porter Jr. Play?
The Steelers have only one player listed on their injury report as they have listed cornerback Joey Porter Jr. as questionable.
Pittsburgh has listed Porter Jr. as questionable due to a back injury and he is in danger of missing Sunday’s game.
#Steelers Week 1 Friday Injury Report and Game Status vs. #Falcons:
LP/QUES
CB Joey Porter Jr.
— Alan Saunders (@ASaunders_PGH) September 11, 2026
Fans can catch Sunday afternoon’s matchup between the Falcons and Steelers from Acrisure Stadium at 1 p.m. ET on FOX in both teams’ home markets and select other locations across the country. Check local listings for games available in your area.
Read more Final Injury Report for Bills-Texans: Will Keon Coleman, Will Anderson Jr. Play?
More NFL Essentials
- Top 25 Highest-Paid NFL Players Right Now
- All 32 NFL Teams’ Salary Cap Spending
- Richest NFL Owner Rankings
- Best NFL Draft Steals of All Time
- Athlon Sports’ NFL Drive Dominance Ranking
- Every NFL Referee: Most and Least Experienced
- Biggest Celebrity Fans of Every NFL Team
- NFL’s Most Intimidating Home-Field Advantages
Copyright 2026 Athlon Sports. All rights reserved.
This story was originally published September 13, 2026 at 5:00 AM.