What Happened to Cooper Rush?
Cooper Rush is an American football quarterback who has carved out a career as a reliable backup in the NFL. After several seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, including a notable stint as a starter in 2022 and 2024, he played for the Baltimore Ravens in 2025 before signing with the Atlanta Falcons in July 2026 amidst their quarterback injury concerns.
Quick Answer
Cooper Rush is currently a quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, having signed with the team on July 29, 2026. This move came after he was released by the Baltimore Ravens in March 2026, following a single season where he appeared in four games with two starts. Rush is expected to compete for playing time due to injuries to Falcons quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr.
📊Key Facts
📅Complete Timeline10 events
Signed by Dallas Cowboys as Undrafted Free Agent
After going undrafted in the 2017 NFL Draft, Cooper Rush signed with the Dallas Cowboys, beginning his professional career.
Brief Stint with New York Giants
Rush was waived by the Cowboys and briefly claimed by the New York Giants before returning to Dallas later the same year.
First Career NFL Start and Win
Rush made his first career NFL start against the Minnesota Vikings, leading the Cowboys to a 20-16 victory, throwing for 325 yards and two touchdowns.
Led Cowboys to 4-1 Record as Starter
Filling in for an injured Dak Prescott, Rush started five games and guided the Cowboys to a 4-1 record, becoming the first QB in Cowboys history to win his first five career starts.
Started Eight Games for Cowboys
Rush started eight games for the Dallas Cowboys, compiling a 4-4 record and throwing for a career-high 1,844 yards with 12 touchdowns and 5 interceptions.
Signed with Baltimore Ravens
After seven seasons with the Cowboys, Cooper Rush signed a two-year, $6.2 million deal with the Baltimore Ravens, expected to serve as Lamar Jackson's backup.
Limited Play and Struggles with Ravens
During his lone season with the Ravens, Rush appeared in four games, starting two, completing 34 of 52 passes for 303 yards, no touchdowns, and four interceptions before being benched.
Released by Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens released Cooper Rush after one season, following their re-signing of Tyler Huntley as the backup quarterback.
Signed by Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons signed veteran quarterback Cooper Rush to their roster due to injuries to Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. ahead of training camp.
Current Status: Falcons QB
As of today, Cooper Rush is a quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, participating in training camp and potentially in line for significant reps due to ongoing injuries to other QBs.
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🔍Deep Dive Analysis
Cooper Rush's NFL journey began in 2017 when he signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent out of Central Michigan. He spent the majority of his early career as a dependable backup to Dak Prescott, occasionally stepping in when needed. His most significant opportunity with the Cowboys came in the 2022 season, where he started five games and led the team to a 4-1 record in Prescott's absence, completing 94 of 162 passes for 1,051 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. He further demonstrated his capability in the 2024 season, starting eight games for the Cowboys and compiling a 4-4 record, throwing for 1,844 yards with 12 touchdowns and 5 interceptions.
Following seven seasons with the Cowboys, Rush sought a new opportunity and signed a two-year, $6.2 million deal with the Baltimore Ravens in March 2025, expected to back up Lamar Jackson. His tenure in Baltimore, however, was brief and less successful. In the 2025 season, he appeared in four games, making two starts, but struggled, completing 34 of 52 passes for 303 yards with no touchdowns and four interceptions before being benched in Week 6. The Ravens released him in March 2026, after just one season, as they re-signed Tyler Huntley to be Jackson's primary backup.
As of August 15, 2026, Rush's career took another turn when he signed with the Atlanta Falcons on July 29, 2026. This signing was prompted by a critical quarterback situation in Atlanta, with starter Tua Tagovailoa dealing with back tightness and Michael Penix Jr. still recovering from a season-ending ACL injury suffered in 2025. The Falcons, under new head coach Kevin Stefanski, brought Rush in to provide veteran depth and potentially serve as the team's QB1 during the initial phase of training camp while other quarterbacks heal. His current contract with the Falcons has a 2026 cap hit of $1.1 million. Rush, at 32 years old, continues his career as a journeyman quarterback, ready to step into a starting role if injuries necessitate.
What If...?
Explore alternate histories. What if Cooper Rush made different choices?