Overview
- In Week 2 the Atlanta Falcons brought in rookie Jack Strand in relief of Cooper Rush and his first regular-season pass was intercepted by Devin Lloyd and returned 16 yards for a touchdown.
- ESPN Research, cited by multiple outlets, identified Strand as the first quarterback to throw a pick-six on his first career pass since Sam Darnold in 2018 and the first Falcons player to do so since Brett Favre in 1991.
- Strand is an undrafted rookie from Division II Minnesota State–Moorhead who completed eight of 15 passes for 59 yards, rushed twice for 16 yards, and also lost a late fumble in the 34-3 loss to Carolina.
- The play comes with Atlanta 0-2 and follows poor play from starter Cooper Rush, but Michael Penix Jr.'s likely near-term return and Tua Tagovailoa's availability make Strand's immediate chances to play uncertain.
- Reporters note historical precedents show a bad first pass does not define a career, so the key next developments to watch are Penix's activation status and whether the Falcons make a change to their quarterback depth chart.