Penix won't dress for Falcons' opener; Cooper Rush backs up Tagovailoa
Atlanta will keep Michael Penix Jr. inactive against Pittsburgh as he works toward game readiness, with Cooper Rush serving as Tua Tagovailoa's backup.
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Michael Penix Jr. will not dress for the Atlanta Falcons' season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Cooper Rush will back up Tua Tagovailoa, Ari Meirov reported Monday.
Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate): #Falcons now have announced that Michael Penix Jr. (knee) will be inactive for Week 1. Cooper Rush is the backup to Tua Tagovailoa.
The announcement fills in the rest of Atlanta's game-day quarterback plan after Tagovailoa was named the starter earlier Monday. Penix's recovery from knee surgery now rules him out of a relief role as well as the opening assignment.
In Tori McElhaney's report for the Falcons, head coach Kevin Stefanski drew a distinction between receiving medical clearance and being able to perform the job in a game. Penix returned to full-team, 11-on-11 work on Aug. 22, but that step has not yet translated into game readiness. Stefanski said the quarterback and medical staff were aligned on the recovery plan, without offering a timetable or committing to a quarterback order beyond Week 1.