Falcons sign veteran QB Andy Dalton, release Cooper Rush
FLOWERY BRANCH — The Falcons swapped veteran quarterbacks on their 53-man roster Monday, signing Andy Dalton and releasing Cooper Rush, a team source confirmed to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Dalton will take over as the Falcons’ No. 3 quarterback and likely emergency signal caller on game days, the same role Rush has held the past four weeks. The Falcons still have four quarterbacks on their active roster, as Dalton joins Michael Penix Jr., Tua Tagovailoa and Jack Strand.
Rush, who the Falcons signed on the first day of training camp, started the first two games of this season after injuries to Penix and Tagovailoa. Rush went 22-for-39 passing for 229 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions to go along with one lost fumble.
Dalton, 38, is in his 16th NFL season. He made three Pro Bowls, the last coming in 2016, during his nine-year tenure with the Cincinnati Bengals. He spent the first four weeks of the season with the Philadelphia Eagles, playing in one game — a 27-7 loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 3 — and throwing an interception in his lone attempt.
The 6-foot-2, 220-pound QB has appeared in 180 games and made 169 career starts. He’s started seven games since the start of the 2023 season, owning a 1-6 record with the Carolina Panthers. For his career, he’s thrown for 39,793 yards, 254 touchdowns and 152 interceptions.
Dalton is 27th all-time in passing yards and sixth among active players.