Easton Stick Injury News & Updates

Stick reverted to the Falcons' practice squad Monday, per the NFL's official transaction log.

Stick operated as the team's backup quarterback behind Kirk Cousins in Sunday's 34-10 loss to Miami, failing to enter the game. The quarterback could be elevated to the active roster again in Week 9 versus the Patriots if Michael Penix (knee) remains unavailable.

The Falcons elevated Stick from the practice squad to the active roster Saturday, Terrin Waack of the team's official site reports.

It's the first time this season that Stick will be elevated from the Falcons' practice squad. His elevation comes as the Falcons expect Michael Penix to miss Sunday's game against the Dolphins due to a knee contusion, which puts Kirk Cousins in position to make his first start since Week 15 of the 2024 season while Stick serves as the backup. Stick last saw regular-season action in 2023 as a member of the Chargers, when he completed 63.8 percent of his passes for 1,129 yards, three touchdowns and one interception while turning 27 carries into 144 yards and a score across five games (four starts).

The Falcons signed Stick to the practice squad Wednesday, Terrin Waack of the team's official site reports.

The Falcons opted to go with two quarterbacks on the main roster with Michael Penix and Kirk Cousins, so Stick will start the season on the team's practice squad. Stick finished the preseason completing 69.2 percent of his passes for 520 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions while adding five carries for 32 yards across three games.

The Falcons cut Stick on Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Stick was unable to force the Falcons to keep a third quarterback behind Michael Penix and Kirk Cousins after completing 54 of 78 pass attempts for 520 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions this preseason. The 29-year-old could be a candidate to rejoin the team via the practice squad.

Stick completed 20 of 28 passes for 198 yards and a touchdown with an interception in Friday's 31-13 preseason loss to the Cowboys. He added 18 rushing yards on three carries.

The veteran backup QB played into the fourth quarter in Atlanta's final exhibition contest as both Michael Penix and Kirk Cousins were held out. Stick did lead the offense into scoring position on three of five first-half drives, but a missed field goal cost the Falcons some points, and his final pass of the night got picked off. Barring a sudden end to the Cousins saga via trade or an injury, Stick will head into the regular season third on the depth chart and unlikely to see snaps.

Stick is positioned to start Atlanta's preseason finale against the Cowboys on Friday with Michael Penix and Kirk Cousins both in line to sit out, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Stick has been serviceable across two preseason starts so far, completing a combined 34 of 50 attempts for 322 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He's also rushed twice for 14 yards. The 29-year-old is expected to enter the regular season as the Falcons' third quarterback behind Penix and Cousins, and with Atlanta having waived/injured Emory Jones (concussion) on Monday, it will be new signee Ben DiNucci who enters Friday's preseason finale in relief of Stick.

Stick completed 19 of 32 pass attempts for 173 yards, one touchdown and one interception while rushing twice for 14 yards in Friday's preseason loss to the Titans.

Stick got off to a rough start when he threw a pick-six in the first quarter before settling down with a pair of touchdown drives in the second half. The 29-year-old got extra playing time after fellow backup Emory Jones exited following a big hit late in the contest. Jones' health will now play a factor in the competition for Atlanta's third quarterback gig, with Stick taking the early lead based on production. Expect Stick to get more run in the Falcons' preseason finale against the Cowboys next Friday.

Stick is slated to start Friday's preseason game versus the Titans, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

The Falcons are keeping QBs Michael Penix and Kirk Cousins on the sideline for a second straight exhibition, allowing Stick another chance to lead the offense. Last Friday against the Lions, Stick completed 15 of 18 passes for 149 yards and one touchdown in one half of work. A similar workload likely is in the offing for Stick before he hands things off to Emory Jones for the rest of the contest.

Stick completed 15 of 18 pass attempts for 149 yards and a touchdown in Friday's preseason tilt against the Lions.

Stick got the start for Atlanta with both Michael Penix and Kirk Cousins sitting out the exhibition. The 29-year-old Stick was nearly perfect from the pocket in the first half before giving way to Emory Jones after halftime. The pair of backups will continue battling for the No. 3 spot on the depth chart this preseason when the Falcons take on the Titans next Friday.

Stick and Emory Jones will split quarterback duties in Friday's preseason opener against the Lions while Michael Penix and Kirk Cousins will be rested, Terrin Waack of the Falcons' official site reports.

Stick will presumably get the starting nod, as the former Chargers quarterback has four regular-season NFL starts under his belt, while Jones hasn't appeared in a regular-season NFL game. Unless one of Atlanta's top two quarterbacks gets injured or Cousins is moved off the roster, Stick and Jones will be competing for the third spot on the team's quarterback depth chart.

Stick (coach's decision) is inactive and serving as the Chargers' emergency third quarterback for Saturday's wild-card matchup against Houston.

Stick was frequently Los Angeles' emergency third QB on gamedays during the regular season, and he'll serve in that role in the opening contest of the playoffs Saturday. The veteran signal-caller can only enter against the Texans if both Justin Herbert and Taylor Heinicke are unable to play due to injury, illness, or ejection.

Stick (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Raiders.

The quarterback will resume his familiar role behind starter Justin Herbert and backup Taylor Heinicke as the Chargers push for the No. 5 seed in the AFC, and he would need them both to get hurt, sick or ejected to enter the contest. Stick has yet to enter a game this season.

Stick (coach's decision) is inactive for Thursday's game against the Broncos.

The quarterback can only enter the contest if starter Justin Herbert and backup Taylor Heinicke get injured, sick or ejected. Herbert played through ankle and thigh issues in last week's 40-17 loss to the Buccaneers, but he did not enter Thursday night with an injury designation. Stick has yet to appear in a game this season.

Stick (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Buccaneers.

The quarterback will not be able to enter the game unless starter Justin Herbert and backup Taylor Heinicke are unavailable. Stick has yet to play in a game this season.

Stick (coach's decision) is inactive for Monday's contest against the Ravens and will serve as Los Angeles' emergency third quarterback.

Stick hasn't yet played in a game this season, as he remains firmly behind starter Justin Herbert and backup Taylor Heinicke on the QB depth chart. As the emergency third quarterback Monday, Stick can enter the contest against Baltimore only if both Herbert and Heinicke are unable to play due to injury, illness or ejection.

Stick (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Titans, Kris Rhim of ESPN.com reports.

As the Chargers' emergency quarterback, Stick will only see the field Sunday if starter Justin Herbert and backup Taylor Heinicke are forced out of the game due to injury.

Stick (coach's decision) is inactive for Monday's contest against the Cardinals.

Stick will operate as the team's emergency quarterback in Week 7 versus Arizona. The 29-year-old will only enter the game if Justin Herbert and Taylor Heinicke are forced to exit.

Stick is active along with Taylor Heinicke as options at quarterback behind starter Justin Herbert (ankle) in Sunday's game against the Steelers.

Herbert didn't take any first-team reps during Week 3 prep while nursing a high-ankle sprain, managing just one limited practice Wednesday through Friday. Despite the lack of practice activity, Herbert convinced the coaching and training staffs that he is able to start after completing a pregame warmup. Herbert should take every snap Sunday so long as the game is competitive and he doesn't suffer a setback with the ankle, but Stick might be first in line to get reps if Herbert should exit the contest. Per Daniel Popper of The Athletic, head coach Jim Harbaugh said Monday that Stick would have been first in line to start Week 3 if Herbert couldn't, though the coach backed off that stance a bit by Friday, telling Eric Smith of the Chargers' official site that he has "a lot of faith" in both Stick and Heinicke being capable of stepping in for Herbert, if necessary.

Stick completed 12 of 29 passes for 187 yards, a touchdown and an interception in Saturday's 26-19 preseason win over the Cowboys. He added 17 rushing yards on four carries.

It was a poor performance through the air for Stick, but he didn't need to do much with Trey Lance throwing five INTs for Dallas, and Derius Davis and Simi Fehoko scoring a couple long TDs in the first half. Stick appears to be locked into the No. 2 quarterback role, but Justin Herbert (foot) is on track to be ready for Week 1 and the Chargers will be hoping his backup isn't needed for extensive action again as he was late in 2023.

Stick completed eight of his 13 attempts for 85 yards and an interception in Saturday's 13-9 preseason loss to the Rams. He also carried the ball five times for 22 yards, but he did record a fumble.

That's now two bad showings for Stick, who seemed to have the backup quarterback job behind Justin Herbert (foot) locked up at the start of the preseason. It's unclear if the fifth-year veteran is really at risk of losing the positional battle despite the poor outings as projected third-string quarterback, Max Duggan, was a healthy inactive Saturday while new addition earlier this preseason, Luis Perez, also struggled to some extent (13 of 20 for 78 yards and a fumble). Stick figures to have one more chance to solidify his standing on the active roster in the team's final preseason game against the Cowboys.

Stick is slated to start Saturday's preseason game against the Rams, Daniel Popper of The Athletic reports.

Stick also got the start in the Chargers' preseason opener against the Seahawks, and will get the nod again this weekend after turning in a good week of practice, according to coach Jim Harbaugh. Of late, Stick has been filling in for franchise QB Justin Herbert, who's working his way back from a plantar fascia injury in his right foot.

Stick completed five of his 13 pass attempts for 31 yards and an interception in Saturday's 16-3 preseason loss to the Seahawks. He also carried the ball once for 12 yards.

The Jim Harbaugh era got off to a dreadful start in the exhibition game as the Chargers had just one drive that went longer than five plays in the first half. Stick, who started Saturday's game with Justin Herbert (foot) sidelined, struggled mightily often failing to hit wide receivers in stride or getting pressured off his plant spot immediately. A fifth-round draft pick back in 2019, Stick is expected to act as the team's backup QB provided he's able to hold off second-year quarterback Max Duggan in a training camp battle for the position.

While Justin Herbert recovers from an injury to the plantar fascia in his right foot, Stick is slated to fill in as the Chargers' top QB, Daniel Popper of The Athletic reports.

Per the report, Herbert is expected to be ready for the start of the regular season, but while the Chargers' franchise QB is sidelined, Stick will fill in, with Max Duggan and rookie Casey Bauman in reserve. Stick got starts down the stretch last season after Herbert landed on IR with a finger injury, and he's still the next man up the team's QB room ahead of Week 1.

The Chargers re-signed Stick on Friday, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

The North Dakota State product is now in line to remain in Los Angeles after agreeing to a new deal with the Chargers. Stick appeared in five games (four starts) for the Chargers in 2023, throwing for 1,129 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. He's expected to remain a serviceable backup quarterback option if Justin Herbert were to go down in 2024.

Stick completed 28 of 47 passes for 258 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions in Sunday's 13-12 loss to the Chiefs. He rushed the ball 13 times for 77 yards and also lost a fumble.

Stick drew his fourth consecutive start with Justin Herbert (finger) sidelined. Despite taking to the air 47 times, he put up a relatively modest yardage total while averaging just 5.5 yards per attempt. He did show plenty of playmaking ability as a rusher, but the end result was still an uninspiring effort for the Chargers' offense as they mustered only four field goals. In five games this season, Stick accounted for only four touchdowns while turning the ball over five times. He's set to hit free agency and will hope to remain the backup in Los Angeles or land a second-string job elsewhere around the league.

Stick completed 24 of 38 pass attempts for 220 yards and rushed for 31 yards on five attempts in Sunday's 16-9 loss to the Broncos.

Stick corrected his turnover issues from last week's loss to the Bills, but it came with the price of scoring no offensive touchdowns against the Broncos on Sunday. It was the second time in three starts that the longtime backup failed to produce either a passing or rushing touchdown. That fact coupled with a tough matchup against the Chiefs on the docket make Stick a low-end fantasy option for Week 18.

Stick completed 23 of 33 pass attempts for 210 yards while adding 25 rushing yards and a touchdown on seven carries in Saturday's 24-22 loss to Buffalo.

Stick got the nod under center for the second week in a row following Justin Herbert's (finger) season-ending injury. Unlike last week's 42-point loss to the Raiders, Stick had the Chargers in Saturday's contest up until the final moments. The veteran backup didn't finish with a sexy fantasy line, but he showed a marked improvement over his first start by protecting the football while also scoring the first rushing touchdown of his career. Stick should be afforded another chance to showcase his skills as the starter against the Broncos next Sunday.

Stick completed 23 of 32 passes for 257 yards with three touchdowns and one interception in the Chargers' 63-21 loss to the Raiders on Thursday night. He also rushed twice for 11 yards and lost two fumbles.

Stick's stat line was highly deceptive when taken in the context of the Chargers' 42-point loss, with the first-time starter piling up a bulk of his numbers when the game was already well out of reach. The North Dakota State product, who's in the top job due to Justin Herbert's season-ending finger injury, did have to play without top target Keenan Allen (heel), and he was able to complete passes to nine different players overall. Stick hit Alex Erickson and Quentin Johnston for late touchdown passes of 13 and six yards, but the highlight of his night was a 79-yard scoring strike to Joshua Palmer early in the third quarter. However, his one interception was a pick-six, and one of his two fumbles was also returned for a touchdown by John Jenkins on the final play of the third quarter. Despite the utterly forgettable team outcome Thursday, Stick is expected to remain the starting quarterback in a Week 16 Saturday night home matchup against the Bills on Dec. 23.

Stick will step in as the Chargers' starting quarterback beginning with Thursday's game against the Raiders with Justin Herbert (finger) set to undergo season-ending surgery Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Stick played his first snaps of the season when Herbert wasn't able to return to this past Sunday's 24-7 loss to the Broncos after fracturing his right index finger late in the second quarter. Though he's in his fifth season with the Chargers, Stick has been limited to just two career appearances while Herbert and Philip Rivers before him have been paragons of durability. Stick has completed just 14 of 25 pass attempts for 183 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions over his 38 career regular-season snaps, making him somewhat of an unknown commodity heading into the Chargers' final four games of the regular season. During a larger sample of action in three games this past preseason, Stick completed 44 of 73 passes (60.2 percent) for a paltry 5.2 yards per attempt and a 1:2 TD:INT, though he did show some running ability (11 carries for 82 yards).

Stick completed 13 of his 24 attempts for 179 yards in Sunday's 24-7 loss to the Broncos.

A second-quarter injury to a finger on Justin Herbert's throwing hand set the stage for Stick to play in just his second professional game since he was drafted back in 2019. The backup predictably struggled early on and by the time Stick seemed to get into a rhythm, the contest was essentially over. That being said, the 28-year-old did showcase his arm strength on an impressive 57-yard pass to Quentin Johnston in stride to set up the team's lone score in the fourth quarter, and the Chargers have largely kept the North Dakota State prospect on the roster over the years because they value his plus speed (4.62 40-yard dash). Stick could be in a position to get more reps in the immediate future with a Thursday night battle against the Raiders on tap next, and given the team is effectively out of playoff contention, it's possible the Chargers could roll with Stick longer than just one week.

Stick completed 21 of 41 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns while adding 63 rushing yards and two touchdowns on seven carries in Sunday's preseason loss to the Saints.

The Chargers' backup quarterback played the entire game and led the offense on an impressive six-play, 74-yard scoring drive inside the final two minutes of the first half, capping it with a six-yard TD scamper. Stick's mobility was the Bolts' most effective weapon on the night, but his overall performance as a passer was erratic at best, and he also got sacked five times and lost a fumble in addition to his two picks. With 2023 seventh-round pick Max Duggan as the only other QB on the roster behind Justin Herbert, however, Stick's No. 2 spot on the depth chart appears secure.

Stick is slated to start Sunday's preseason game against the Saints, Bridget Condon of NFL Network reports.

Stick also started this past Saturday's preseason opener against the Rams before giving way to Max Duggan. A similar pattern figures to transpire again this weekend, as the two compete for backup slotting behind top QB Justin Herbert.

The Chargers re-signed Stick on Monday, Jeff Miller of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Stick, a 2019 fifth-round selection made by the Chargers, is now slated to remain with the team for at least one more year following Monday's signing. The 27-year-old has operated as a backup quarterback behind Justin Herbert across the last three seasons, and he's in line to do so again in 2023. Chase Daniel, Los Angeles' other reserve signal caller, has yet to renew his expired contract.

Stick (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Browns.

Stick has yet to be active for a game this season while operating as the No. 3 quarterback behind Justin Herbert and Chase Daniel. The 2019 fifth-round pick has only appeared in one NFL contest in his career, competing his only pass for four yards across two offensive snaps while playing for the Chargers during the 2020 campaign.

Stick will start Sunday's preseason game against the 49ers, Gilbert Manzano of The Orange County Register reports.

The Chargers have only three quarterbacks on their roster, including one (Justin Herbert) who will be held out for the entire preseason despite being healthy. Chase Daniel is the favorite for the backup job and got the start in the first preseason game, completing 15 of 24 passes for 104 yards in the first half of a 13-6 win over the Rams. Stick then completed seven of seven passes for 63 yards in the second half, with the Chargers getting only four drives and 21 plays after the break. He should have more pass attempts Sunday, even if it's a 50/50 split in terms of quarters/halves.

Stick will see the field after Chase Daniel starts Saturday's preseason game against the Rams, Gilbert Manzano of The Orange County Register reports.

Stick has only appeared in one regular-season contest since joining the Chargers as a fifth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Daniel looks like the favorite to serve as the backup to top quarterback Justin Herbert this season, in which case Stick could be set for another season handling the No. 3 role.

Stick (coach's decision) is inactive for the Chargers' Week 12 road trip to Buffalo.

Stick was demoted to the No. 3 quarterback role once Tyrod Taylor returned to the team Week 9 from a ribs/chest injury. The 2019 fifth-round draft choice from North Dakota State had made one game appearance in the NFL, completing his lone pass attempt for a four-yard gain Week 7 against the Jaguars.

Stick will back up Justin Herbert in Sunday's game versus the Panthers, Lorenzo Reyes of USA Today reports.

Tyrod Taylor is expected to miss Week 4 against the Buccaneers as well after he suffered a punctured lung from a misplaced injection in Week 2. Therefore, Stick will likely serve as the backup to Herbert for the next two games and possibly beyond if Taylor remains out. Stick had a solid collegiate career, throwing for 2,752 yards, 28 touchdowns and seven interceptions in his senior season at North Dakota State, but he hasn't played a regular-season snap since being selected in by the Chargers in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

Stick and Tyrod Taylor are the only quarterbacks under contract with the Chargers for 2020, Alex Barth of 98.5 The Sports Hub reports.

With Philip Rivers rumored to be headed for a new team, it isn't out of the question for Stick to be part of a position battle during training camp. Of course, the 24-year-old likely would be the underdog in a 1v1 competition with Taylor, and there's also a pretty good chance the Chargers use significant cap space or an early draft pick on a quarterback. The 2019 fifth-round pick was a healthy scratch throughout his rookie season, serving as the No. 3 QB behind Rivers and Taylor.