Tua Tagovailoa missed his debut as the Atlanta Falcons quarterback in Week 1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Everyone was talking about his injury, and a few people even joked that he missed the game on purpose. Now, as the Falcons gear up for Week 2 against the Carolina Panthers, it doesn’t look like he’ll be under center for this one either.

According to Falcons beat reporter Marc Raimondi, Tagovailoa was absent from Thursday’s practice, marking his second straight missed session.

Tagovailoa was initially named the team’s Week 1 starter, only for the oblique issue to rule him out against the Steelers. With the quarterback still working his way back, the Falcons are encouraging him to take whatever time he needs before returning to the field.

“Report 🚨: The Falcons have reportedly told Tua Tagovailoa to ‘take as much time as he needs’ before returning to the field, per @RichJohnsonNFL,” wrote Football Crave on X.

During a warm-up drill, Tagovailoa threw a pass and quickly grabbed his back uncomfortably. He dropped onto the grass for a few seconds before limping off the field. The medical experts noted that the injury was caused by the extreme rotational force required to throw.

In two preseason games with the Falcons, the former Miami Dolphins QB threw for 117 yards and completed 10 of 13 passes, with zero touchdowns and interceptions. But the situation became more complicated after Tagovailoa was not available for Atlanta’s season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, after such a complicated QB battle.

Cooper Rush stepped in as the starter, but the Falcons struggled offensively and suffered a 20-13 defeat in Pittsburgh. Rush completed 12 of 22 passes for 143 yards, throwing one TD and two INTs.

His second interception was returned for a TD by T.J. Watt, adding to an opening-week performance that left the Falcons with further questions at the quarterback position.

The Falcons’ QB situation is not solely dependent on Tagovailoa’s recovery either. Rush was also dealing with a back issue and was still getting treatment, while Michael Penix Jr. is progressing in his return from his ACL injury, leaving the team with multiple pieces heading into Week 2.

And surprisingly, the UDFA rookie Jack Strand of Division II Minnesota State Moorhead, who performed remarkably in preseason games, is also available.

HC Kevin Stefanski kept the door open for all possibilities.

“I’d say we’re working through it,” Stefanski said on Wednesday. “I’m not ruling anyone out. Tua is not going to practice today, though he’s getting better. Cooper and Mike will practice today, so we’ll work through it.”

The 28-year-old QB came with NFL experience, but an injury interrupted plans before he could prove himself with his new offense. For now, the Falcons have little reason to rush Tua back. With Rush available and Penix continuing his recovery and practicing, Atlanta surely has alternatives while Tagovailoa works his way back.