Cooper Rush played college football at Central Michigan from 2012 to 2016. He was not a highly touted prospect and went undrafted in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Rush signed with the Dallas Cowboys after going undrafted. In his rookie season, he was the third quarterback on the depth chart behind Dak Prescott and Kellen Moore. Eight years later, he remains in the NFL and has become one of the league’s most recognizable backup quarterbacks.
Rush has often been thrust into the spotlight due to injuries to starting quarterbacks and has generally performed well when called upon. While he has not played at a level to earn a full-time starting job, he is one of the more sought-after backups in the league.
Here is a look at the teams Rush has played for in his NFL career.
Cooper Rush career timeline
Dallas Cowboys (2017-2019)
Rush began the 2017 season as the third quarterback on the Cowboys’ depth chart. Ahead of Week 6, the team released Kellen Moore and re-signed him to the practice squad, making Rush the primary backup to Dak Prescott—a role he held through the 2019 season. In his first stint with Dallas, Rush saw action in only five games, attempting just three passes. He completed one for two yards, with most of his snaps coming on kneel-downs.
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New York Giants (2020)
Rush had initially signed a one-year contract to remain with Dallas. The Cowboys then signed veteran quarterback Andy Dalton and drafted Ben DiNucci, leading to the release of Rush.
The soon-to-be free agent was claimed off waivers by the New York Giants. Rush was waived on September 5 for final roster cuts, but was re-signed to the practice squad the next day. He was released again on September 29.
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Dallas Cowboys (2020-2024)
A month after being released by the Giants, Rush re-signed with the Cowboys. This came after Dak Prescott suffered a season-ending ankle injury and Andy Dalton entered the concussion protocol. Rush mainly served as depth that season and did not see any game action.
In 2021, Prescott suffered a calf injury, giving Rush his first career start. He played in five games that season, finishing with 422 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception.
Rush began the 2022 season on the practice squad after being waived by Dallas. When Prescott suffered a thumb injury in Week 2, Rush stepped in as the starter. He performed well, maintaining the role until Prescott returned in Week 7. Rush finished the season having played in nine games, throwing for 1,051 yards with five touchdowns and three interceptions.
Ahead of the 2023 season, Rush signed a two-year deal with the Cowboys. That year, he mainly played in blowout situations while filling in for Prescott, completing 24 passes for 144 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.
In 2024, Prescott was sidelined with a hamstring injury in Week 10, and Rush took over as the starter. He played in 12 games, finishing with 1,844 yards, 12 touchdowns, and five interceptions. Rush was close to earning a playing-time bonus at the end of the season, but Dallas started Trey Lance in the final game to prevent it.
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Baltimore Ravens (2025)
As a free agent, Rush signed a two-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens to be the backup to Lamar Jackson. He saw time sparingly early in the season, completing nine of his 13 passes for 52 yards. Rush got his first start in Week 5 as Jackson was sidelined with a hamstring injury.