India, Sept. 13 -- The Atlanta Falcons opened their 2026 NFL season against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday without one of their key players, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

Tagovailoa had been named Atlanta's starting quarterback for Week 1 after joining the Falcons during the offseason. However, an injury suffered late in the week forced a change in plans, and he was officially ruled out on Friday before being listed inactive for Sunday's game at Acrisure Stadium.

The 28-year-old quarterback suffered an oblique injury during Thursday's practice and was seen favoring his side after attempting a pass. He was limited for the remainder of the session, while Cooper Rush received additional first-team repetitions.

With little time for Tagova...