Tua Tagovailoa Faces Injury Ahead of NFL Season Opener

Former Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is facing challenges as he prepares for his first start with the Atlanta Falcons in the NFL season. After being named the Week 1 starter despite a sub-par preseason, Tagovailoa has been dealing with a back injury that caused him to miss practice time earlier in training camp.

During a recent practice session, Tagovailoa went down on the field, grabbing his back, and did not throw for the remainder of the practice. He is now listed as day-to-day, raising concerns about his availability for the upcoming game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. If he is unable to play, veteran quarterback Cooper Rush will step in as the backup.

Additionally, Michael Penix, the Falcons' starting quarterback from the previous two seasons, is still recovering from a knee injury and has not participated in preseason activities. His ongoing recovery means he will be competing for the starting position once he is healthy, adding pressure on Tagovailoa to perform well early in the season.