Player
Cooper Rush
QB
Winning as an undrafted backup is exceptionally rare — most UDFA QBs who survive long enough to start 10+ games finish below .500. Rush's 53.3% mark is a genuine outlier.
Among post-2000 UDFA QBs with 10+ true starts, Rush's 53.3% win rate trails only Tony Romo (62.4%).
Post-2000 UDFA QB win rates (10+ true starts)
| QB | Starts | W-L | Win% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tony Romo | 125 | 78-47 | 62.4% |
| Cooper Rush | 15 | 8-7 | 53.3% |
| Matt Moore | 31 | 16-15 | 51.6% |
| Shaun Hill | 34 | 17-17 | 50.0% |
| Case Keenum | 63 | 30-33 | 47.6% |
Why it matters. Winning as an undrafted backup is exceptionally rare — most UDFA QBs who survive long enough to start 10+ games finish below .500. Rush's 53.3% mark is a genuine outlier.
2022 Dak fill-in: 4-1 record as starter (Wks 2-6), 956 pass yards, 5 TDs vs 3 INTs. Saved Dallas's season.
MilestoneRush 2022 DAL fill-in (Wks 2–6 only)
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Games started | 5 (Wks 2-6) |
| Record | 4-1 |
| Pass Yds (Wks 2-6) | 956 |
| Pass TDs | 5 |
| INTs | 3 |
Why it matters. A 4-1 run by any backup QB is rare. Rush held the Cowboys afloat during what could have been a season-ending Dak Prescott injury, delivering a winning record across 5 true starts.
2024: 9 true starts (Dak shoulder injury) — career-high 1,844 yards + 12 TDs, 4-5 record.
TrendRush production by year (regular season)
| Year | Tm | Yds | TDs | INTs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | DAL | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | DAL | 422 | 3 | 1 |
| 2022 | DAL | 1,051 | 5 | 3 |
| 2023 | DAL | 144 | 0 | 1 |
| 2024 | DAL | 1,844 | 12 | 5 |
| 2025 | BAL | 303 | 0 | 4 |
Passing yards by year
| Season | Yards |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 422 |
| 2022 | 1051 |
| 2023 | 144 |
| 2024 | 1844 |
| 2025 | 303 |
Why it matters. For a backup entering his 8th NFL season, producing 1,844 yards and 12 TDs in a single year is a remarkable output. It validates why Dallas kept him on the roster for seven seasons.
2024 game-by-game: 12 TDs in 9 true starts, including a 354-yard game vs Houston.
SplitRush 2024 true starts (20+ attempts)
| Wk | Opp | Yds | TDs | INTs | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | ATL | 115 | 1 | 0 | L |
| 10 | PHI | 45 | 0 | 0 | L |
| 11 | HOU | 354 | 1 | 1 | L |
| 12 | WAS | 247 | 2 | 0 | W |
| 13 | NYG | 195 | 1 | 0 | W |
| 14 | CIN | 183 | 2 | 1 | L |
| 15 | CAR | 214 | 3 | 0 | W |
| 16 | TB | 292 | 1 | 0 | W |
| 17 | PHI | 147 | 1 | 2 | L |
Why it matters. The 2024 game-by-game log reveals Rush's consistency: he eclipsed 180+ yards in 7 of 9 true starts and threw multiple TDs in 5 of them — productive despite a depleted Cowboys team.
In 2022, among all QBs with exactly 4-5 true starts, Rush's 75% win rate (3-1) was the best — behind only Brock Purdy's 6-0.
Anomaly2022 QBs with 4-5 true starts — win rate
| QB | Starts | W-L | Win% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brock Purdy | 6* | 6-0 | 100% |
| Cooper Rush | 4 | 3-1 | 75% |
| Sam Darnold | 4 | 2-2 | 50% |
| Desmond Ridder | 4 | 2-2 | 50% |
| Deshaun Watson | 5 | 2-3 | 40% |
| Joe Flacco | 4 | 1-3 | 25% |
Why it matters. In a year full of injury-triggered backup debuts, Rush's win rate stood out. The comparison shows this wasn't just good luck — Rush outperformed Watson, Flacco, and Trubisky who had far more NFL experience.
Career: 37 game appearances, 3,766 pass yards, 20 TDs, 14 INTs — all without ever being a drafted pick.
RareCooper Rush career regular-season totals
| Stat | Total |
|---|---|
| Games appeared | 37 |
| Pass Yds | 3,766 |
| Pass TDs | 20 |
| INTs | 14 |
| Att / Cmp | 596 / 364 |
| TD:INT ratio | 1.43 |
Why it matters. A 1.43 TD:INT ratio across 37 appearances is above-average for a backup journeyman. Most UDFAs who stick on rosters for 8+ years never accumulate meaningful stats; Rush has a legitimate career body of work.
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