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The Pittsburgh Steelers know what quarterback they’re going to face in Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons.
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Tua Tagovailoa, who had been named the starter earlier this week, has officially been ruled out due to an oblique injury (per ESPN’s Adam Schefter).
With 2024 first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. also sidelined for the time being due to a knee injury, Cooper Rush will start the season opener for the Falcons against Pittsburgh at Acrisure Stadium.
Rush’s Connection to McCarthy, Steelers
Before being hired by Pittsburgh back in January after Mike Tomlin stepped down, McCarthy’s last head coaching job had come with the Dallas Cowboys from 2020 to 2024.
He brought several of his players from that stint with him to the Steelers, such as Rico Dowdle and Brock Hoffman, and now he’ll face one of his former quarterbacks in his first game with his new team.
Rush was a member of the Cowboys for McCarthy’s entire five-year stint with the organization, and he went 9-5 in his starts over that span while throwing for 20 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
After a rough 2025 campaign with the Baltimore Ravens, during which he threw no touchdowns and four interceptions while going 0-2 as a starter, Rush has an opportunity to prove himself and rebound against his former head coach.
What Steelers Have to Prepare For Against Rush
Rush is a prototypical low-ceiling, game manager-type backup quarterback. He sees the field well and can get the ball out quickly with solid decision-making, which in the right situation can help him pick defenses apart in the short and intermediate passing game.
“He’s going to take what the defense give him, and he can go out there and win games. I think he showed that in Dallas, so expect a decent quarterback to come in there,” Dowdle said, per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor.
The 32-year-old isn’t going to stretch the field much, though, and he’s susceptible to pressure given his lack of mobility.
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As such, Pittsburgh can perhaps afford to take some risks with its pressure looks in order to get after Rush and force its way into the backfield without having to worry about him extending a play or airing it out too often.
The Falcons’ run game is ultimately what’ll dictate the outcome of the game, though. The Steelers’ chances of winning have taken a leap with the news that Rush is going to start, but Bijan Robinson could quickly foil their game plan if they aren’t careful.
It’s nearly impossible to stop Robinson, who had 2,298 yards from scrimmage in 2025, but Pittsburgh has to at least contain him and not let Atlanta depend almost solely on his legs.
If the Steelers stack the box and make a concerted effort to limit Robinson at every turn, they’ll have a good shot of winning the game.
In a world where Robinson runs wild and even makes an impact as a receiving option out of the backfield, however, things could get dicey for Pittsburgh.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/steelers/onsi as Steelers Get Falcons Final QB Announcement for Week 1.
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This story was originally published September 11, 2026 at 10:49 AM.