Jack Strand is Falcons' lone healthy QB as Folk opens camp
Undrafted rookie Jack Strand is the Atlanta Falcons' only healthy quarterback as training camp opens, after Tua Tagovailoa sat with a flared-up injury and Michael Penix Jr. was held from team drills. Meanwhile, 41-year-old kicker Nick Folk called the start of camp "always exciting" after reporting for his first season in Atlanta.
Key Takeaways
- Jack Strand became the Falcons' lone healthy quarterback after Trevor Siemian was released with a non-football injury.
- Tua Tagovailoa will not practice after an injury "flared up," with reports pointing to back tightness.
- Michael Penix Jr. has not been cleared for team drills while recovering from ACL surgery.
- Nick Folk, 41, said the start of Falcons training camp is "always exciting" after 18 NFL seasons.
- Folk leads active kickers with 431 career field goals and signed with Atlanta on March 9.
Who is Jack Strand for the Falcons right now?
As Atlanta opened training camp, undrafted rookie Jack Strand was the only healthy quarterback on the roster. The Falcons released Trevor Siemian with a non-football injury on Wednesday, Yahoo Sports reported.
That left Strand handling the healthy snaps while the two projected starters stayed limited. Atlanta is expected to sign former Cowboys and Ravens quarterback Cooper Rush to add another option.
Why aren't Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix practicing fully?
Head coach Kevin Stefanski said Tagovailoa will not practice after an injury "flared up." Stefanski did not specify the injury, though ESPN's Adam Schefter reported back tightness. Stefanski said the issue is not considered serious and that the Falcons expect him back sooner rather than later.
Penix has not been cleared for team drills as he continues recovering from November surgery to repair the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. During offseason work, Tagovailoa led the first-team offense in 11-on-11 drills while Penix was limited.
What did Nick Folk say about Falcons training camp?
Even after 18 seasons in the NFL, Folk said he still gets excited about the dawn of a new season. "Always exciting," the 41-year-old kicker said Tuesday after reporting for his first training camp with the Atlanta Falcons at the practice facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia. The team's first practice was set for Wednesday.
"I tell everyone, there is nothing like playing on Sundays," Folk said. "Being in front of people, being in front your fans and playing, there's nothing like it. So training camp is just the start of that. And I'm just excited to kind of get going."
Folk signed with the Falcons on March 9, three days before the team signed free-agent punter Jake Bailey. Atlanta's interest followed a 2025 season that saw three kickers — Younghoe Koo, Parker Romo and Zane Gonzalez.
Why did the Falcons turn to Nick Folk?
Drafted by the Cowboys in 2007, Folk leads all active kickers with 431 career field goals after stops with Dallas, the New York Jets, Tampa Bay, New England and Tennessee. He claimed the NFL's best field-goal accuracy in three consecutive seasons, making 28 of 29 attempts for the Jets last year after 29 of 30 in 2023 and 21 of 22 in 2024 with Tennessee.
Folk said he was drawn by special teams coach Craig Aukerman, who coached him in Tennessee, and by reuniting with Bailey from New England. The Falcons are led by a new leadership team of president of football Matt Ryan, general manager Ian Cunningham and coach Kevin Stefanski, still seeking a first playoff appearance since 2017 after eight consecutive losing seasons. Follow more viral sports and celeb updates in our Celebrity Breaking News section.