Atlanta Falcons ‘Feel Really Good’ about QB Michael Penix Jr.’s Age, Injuries

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. comes with an extensive injury history and questions about his age.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

For many, images of new Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. are positive.

Maybe it’s him as a finalist for the Heisman Trophy or hoisting the Sugar Bowl trophy after leading Washington to a victory over the Texas Longhorns in the College Football Playoff semifinals.

But others see different things – perhaps him crumbling to the ground in the third quarter of Indiana’s loss to Penn State in 2021, cementing his fourth major collegiate injury in as many seasons.

Penix’s journey to Flowery Branch hasn’t been without bumps and bruises, literally.

The Tampa, Fla., native tore his left ACL three games into his true freshman season in 2018. He re-tore the same ACL in 2020. In between, he suffered a dislocated SC joint in his right (non-throwing) shoulder. In 2021, he dislocated a joint in his throwing shoulder after just five games.

Each injury ended his season. He left Indiana after the 2021 season without playing more than seven games in a single year.

But at Washington, Penix found stability, starting all 28 games possible across two seasons and proving he can hold up over the course of an extended campaign.

During the pre-draft process, the Falcons took a deep-dive into Penix’s injury history, as general manager Terry Fontenot and staff spent considerable time with Atlanta’s trainers and doctors.

The Falcons cleared Penix – and felt so convicted in his on-field skill set to select him No. 8 overall, filled with belief his injury concerns are a thing of the past.

“It does mean a lot that he's played well these last two years,” Fontenot said. “Obviously, it's something we're always forward-thinking on in terms of doing everything we can to prevent injuries but we felt good about it.”

Moreover, Atlanta’s braintrust gleaned the positive details from Penix’s injuries.

Both Fontenot and Falcons head coach Raheem Morris noted the resiliency of Penix, who led the FBS with 4,903 passing yards and finished third in touchdowns with 36 this past season.

Morris compared Penix’s journey to his own, which included being fired by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2011 after a failed stint as a young head coach and going 4-7 as Atlanta’s interim head coach in 2020.

There are also similarities between Penix and the two veterans currently residing in Atlanta’s quarterbacks room, Kirk Cousins and Taylor Heinicke.

For Cousins, the biggest challenge early in his career was finding the field, as he was Robert Griffin III’s backup with the now-Washington Commanders and made only nine starts through his first three seasons.

Heinicke’s path started on the Minnesota Vikings’ practice squad and included a stretch where he was out of football in 2020, preparing for the next stage of his life.

Now, they’re all together – something Morris believes emphasizes the room’s makeup.

“There's something about people that can go through adversity, there is something about people who can handle adversity, and there is something about people who can literally bounce back from all different types of walks of life and be here,” Morris said.

Injuries are one question facing Penix. Age is another.

The 6-2, 216-pound lefty turns 24 years old on May 8, making him an already-older prospect. This is only further compounded by the presence of Cousins, who’s making $90 million guaranteed over the next two years and has a chance to be Atlanta’s starting signal caller through 2027.

At the earliest, Penix likely won’t see the field until he’s 26, if not 27. Modern quarterbacks are playing late into their careers, but getting such a late start is far from the expectation most hold for top 10 picks.

But Fontenot feels Penix isn’t abnormal. Due to the NCAA gifting athletes an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the financial allure of NIL, Fontenot said more players are staying in college for longer periods, creating older prospects.

Penix wasn't alone in the first round. The Commanders selected Jayden Daniels second overall, and he turns 24 in December. The Denver Broncos selected Bo Nix at No. 12, and he's already 24-years old.

As such, Fontenot is unconcerned by Penix’s age, both now and moving forward.

“That's not an issue,” Fontenot said. “We have a lot of confidence in him. And, look, the way he plays the game, we feel really good about that. Not concerned about his age in a negative way.”

The Falcons believe it’s a positive if Penix doesn’t play until he’s much older, as it means Cousins’ tenure under center is likely going quite well.

“If he sits for four or five years, that’s a great problem to have because we’re doing so well at that position,” Fontenot said at his post-draft presser.

But when it ultimately comes time for Penix to take the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the Falcons are confident he’ll be ready – in part because he’s spent the past several years battling the mental and physical challenges that come with the role.

“I've been through a lot throughout my career,” Penix said. “But I feel like through all the adversity, it made me tougher, it made me stronger. Everything I've been through made me into the person and the player I am today. So, I wouldn't say I'll change anything.”