‘Rush on out of Atlanta’: Cooper Rush faces brutal message after disastrous Falcons showing

Cooper Rush has been told to “rush on out of Atlanta” after his difficult Falcons debut left former Atlanta fullback Ovie Mughelli questioning whether the veteran quarterback can get the best out of the team’s offensive weapons.

Rush was forced into the starting role just two days before Atlanta’s season opener after Tua Tagovailoa suffered an oblique injury, while Michael Penix Jr. was not yet ready to return from ACL surgery.

The 32-year-old completed 12 of 22 passes for 143 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions as the Falcons lost 20-13 to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was also sacked four times and finished with a 2.6 adjusted QBR.

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Speaking on the Bleav In Panthers podcast, Mughelli did not hold back when discussing Rush’s performance.

“You know, I know, we all know Cooper needs to rush on out of Atlanta and find somewhere else to play because, I hate bagging on or ragging on people individually and personally,” Mughelli said.

He then explained his frustration with the way Atlanta’s expensive offensive talent was being utilised.

“It’s not personal, but his play made it personal. It was something to where Falcons fans around the world were just like, ‘You pay Bijan [Robinson], you pay Drake [London], you pay Kyle Pitts, you’re paying [Matthew] Bergeron, the offensive lineman, you pay all these offensive weapons, and we can’t get a guy to get the ball to them.'”

Rush’s situation was hardly ideal. He entered the season as Atlanta’s third-string quarterback, with the team initially expecting either Tagovailoa or Penix to lead the offence.

Still, Mughelli felt his experience should have counted for more.

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Rush had entered Week 1 with a 9-7 record as a starter across 43 games and nine NFL seasons. Against Pittsburgh, however, T.J. Watt recorded two sacks and a defensive touchdown, while Alex Highsmith added two more sacks.

The quarterback situation is now becoming an even bigger issue for Kevin Stefanski ahead of Sunday’s home game against the Carolina Panthers.

Atlanta has not confirmed its starter, with Tagovailoa’s injury and Penix’s recovery both factors in the decision. Rush was listed for a Wednesday quarterback press conference, although NFL Network’s Steve Wyche reported that he was simply a “placeholder”.

For Rush, another opportunity could arrive against Carolina, but Mughelli’s criticism has made the pressure around Atlanta’s quarterback position even harder to ignore.