James Pearce Jr. might not play Sunday, other Falcons injury updates

All week long, the consensus from the coaching staff was that star second-year pass rusher James Pearce Jr. was good to play against the Bengals after being reinstated from his suspension. However, on the Friday before Atlanta takes the field in Madrid, Kevin Stefanski announced that Pearce is dealing with a minor back issue and is now questionable heading into the weekend.

Kevin Stefanski said James Pearce Jr.'s back injury "flared up" and he was limited in practice, and the Falcons will know more about his status in the next 24-48 hours.

— Tori McElhaney (@tori_mcelhaney) November 6, 2026

Falcons fans are obviously eager to see Pearce back in action. He looked like he was on his way to becoming one of the best pass rushers in all of football toward the end of last season, and on top of that, Atlanta really needs him if they want to find a way to win on Sunday.

The Falcons are already severely short-handed across the defensive front, with Samson Ebukam landing on Injured Reserve earlier this week, and the best way to stop Joe Burrow and company is to get him on the ground. It’s been that way his entire career. If the Falcons give Burrow time while trying to guard Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins on the back end, it’s going to be a massacre on foreign soil.

On the promising side of the injury report, Atlanta’s secondary will get back Billy Bowman Sr., and Divine Deablo could return this week as well. Brian Robinson Jr., who had a stellar start to the season behind Bijan Robinson, remains out with a hamstring injury.

In the abysmal NFC South, the 3-5 Falcons aren’t in must-win territory just yet. But things are going to start looking extraordinarily sketchy if they can’t get it done in Madrid, because the Chiefs await them when they get back on US soil, and following the bye, they play two more playoff contenders in the Vikings and Lions.

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