The Atlanta Falcons have released Canadian quarterback Nathan Rourke following the team’s Week 1 NFL preseason game.
Rourke played the entire fourth quarter for Atlanta in the Falcons’ first exhibition game against the Miami Dolphins on Friday night, leading four drives with two resulting in three-and-out punts and two in turnovers on downs. The former CFL star completed 3-of-13 passes for 37 yards — although there were three catchable passes dropped — plus two runs for 24 yards. James Washington could not snag a pass in the end zone from Rourke and OJ Hiliaire was unable to haul in multiple throws, including a well-placed fade ball on Atlanta’s last offensive snap.
Veteran QB Kirk Cousins did not play, eighth overall pick Michael Penix Jr. completed 9-of-16 passes for 104 yards while Taylor Heinicke completed 4-of-11 passes for 11 yards during his time on the field. Rourke and Heinicke were competing for the third-string role behind Cousins and Penix Jr.
In a corresponding move, the Falcons brought back undrafted free agent quarterback John Paddock, a rookie out of the University of Illinois, who was waived when Rourke signed with the team.
Rourke joined Atlanta on August 1 following a successful workout, marking the latest stop on a circuitous NFL journey which has included four teams in just over a calendar year. The 26-year-old was waived four days prior after starting training camp with the New York Giants. He joined the G-Men on May 7 as a waiver pickup from New England.
The Falcons reportedly put in a waiver claim on the six-foot-one, 210-pound QB at the same time as the Giants, though New York secured his rights with a higher waiver priority. Atlanta head coach Raheem Morris said Rourke was “very high” on his team’s list of potential pickups and someone the staff wanted to see “get some action.”
Rourke was named the Canadian Football League’s Most Outstanding Canadian after starting 10 games for the B.C. Lions in 2022, completing 78.7 percent of his passes for 3,349 yards with 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He rushed 39 times for 304 yards and seven touchdowns despite missing eight games with a Lisfranc injury.
The Oakville-raised, Victoria-born QB spent the 2023 season with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Patriots and was active for six regular season games, earning $519,688 USD. He completed 65.7 percent of his passes for 348 yards with one touchdown during the preseason last year with Jacksonville while carrying the ball 14 times for 39 yards and one score.
Rourke goes on waivers with a chance to be claimed by all 31 other NFL teams by Monday at 4 p.m. ET. If he’s not claimed, the Canadian becomes a free agent.
