Falcons Scrapped Original Michael Penix Jr. Plan. Their Future Came Early

The Atlanta Falcons have thrown out the initial development plan they had for rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. amidst his elevation to the starting role.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. will make his third NFL start Sunday vs. the Carolina Panthers. / Amber Searls-Imagn Images

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot spent much of their draft weekend and post-draft media opportunities trying to explain the seemingly unexplainable.

How, after giving four-time Pro Bowl quarterback Kirk Cousins a four-year contract with $90 million guaranteed in the first two years, could the Falcons take his successor less than a month and a half later?

How, with an evident need for pass rush, could Atlanta bypass every defensive player in the entire draft and select Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 overall after three signal callers had already been taken?

Their answers centered around a present with Cousins and a future with Penix, around avoiding what Morris described as "quarterback purgatory," around trying to build a sustained winner.

The Falcons wanted to win with Cousins in 2024 and 2025, at least, before turning over the reins to Penix, who, ideally, would have two years as an understudy of one of the NFL's most productive passers over the last decade.

Sometimes, the inexplicable makes sense when given time. In the case of Cousins and Penix, it certainly has -- but with a complete alteration of Atlanta's initial expectations for how it would unfold.

"That plan's out the window," Morris said Wednesday. "We wanted (Penix) to go out there and be able to go through the process and be able to learn behind Kirk, and he did. He had a long stretch, and now his time has come, and he's going out there, he's executing, doing a really good job for us."

The Cousins experiment ended after just 14 games. In his final five starts, the 36-year-old threw just one touchdown to nine interceptions while Atlanta went 1-4.

The Falcons benched Cousins after a Week 15 win over the Las Vegas Raiders during which Cousins went 11-for-17 passing for 112 yards, one touchdown and an interception while being sacked three times. He attempted only one pass greater than 14 yards downfield.

So, Atlanta scrapped its plan and turned to Penix, who won his first start 34-7 over the New York Giants on Dec. 22 before falling 30-24 in overtime to the Washington Commanders on Dec. 29. The 24-year-old is 37-for-62 passing for 425 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions across the two games.

While Penix has missed a handful of completable passes, he's also delivered several impressive strikes -- including a temporarily game-saving touchdown to tight end Kyle Pitts on fourth-and-13 in Washington and a 40-second drive that gave the Falcons a chance to try a game-winning field goal, though kicker Riley Patterson's try fell short.

Falcons safety Jessie Bates III said Penix has been poised since he arrived for rookie minicamp in May. Atlanta wasn't surprised by his late-game performance -- but to Morris, seeing it in a "playoff-like environment" offers a different learning opportunity than anything the Falcons could've learned on the practice field or from college film.

"You talk about this kid and you talk about the poise -- it was almost waiting to celebrate for him that he's going to get it done because you kind of felt so confident in him being able to do it," Morris said. "And to a fault, probably overconfident with the kid because he's so good and he's so talented.

"He can do anything. I felt really good about where we're at and who he is and what we can be because of his ability to go out there in the last two weeks."

But Morris's confidence in Penix started long before the former Indiana University and University of Washington standout earned his first chance to lead Atlanta's offense.

Despite the Falcons tossing out their original plan for Penix, Morris said his development track -- and the tactics within it -- hasn't changed, in large part because of the skill Penix possessed when he arrived.

"When he came into the building, he was kind of readymade to play," Morris said Friday. "But we had made decisions before we actually drafted him that we're going with Kirk Cousins -- he was going to be our guy. But (Penix) really came in, and most situations that I've been around, ready to go right almost from the beginning."

The day after Penix's first start, Morris referenced a quote from Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, who said he doesn't speak in hypotheticals. Morris used it in response to a question about whether he thinks Penix could have played at the level he did in his first start had he been given the nod earlier in the season.

The true answer may never be known. Morris said Friday he thinks Penix could have played, but it may have had unintended consequences on his development.

"Now, would he have been the finished product that he is, that we see, that he goes out there and shows us right now? I'm not sure," Morris said. "But I definitely could see him coming in, starting the season and playing right away."

Morris added there remains value in the Falcons' original plan -- even if it didn't work out as anticipated -- and Atlanta has seen enough to feel confident in Penix being its franchise quarterback moving forward.

"I think all he did throughout that process, while he was waiting and sitting behind, was develop and grow and get even better," Morris said. "And to watch him go out there and play every single week with that poise and that confidence and ability -- and really (be) the lifeline of what the Falcons are going to be.

"Because he's shown that to us and that's what's most important when it comes to anything that we're talking about."

Penix has at least one more opportunity to prove himself, as the Falcons (8-8) host the Carolina Panthers (4-12) at 1 p.m. Sunday inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium. To snap its six-year playoff drought, Atlanta needs to win and hope the New Orleans Saints (5-11) upset the NFC South-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7) on the road.

It's an unlikely situation, but the Falcons have no other path.

Regardless, Atlanta has taken late-season solace in Penix's growth -- and the Falcons are excited to see the statement he makes in the regular season finale.

"The whole idea with him is to keep getting him better and better every single week and have the growth mindset for him," Morris said. "His job is to go out and win football games. He gave us a chance in one, and we won another.

"So, we're going to go out there and try to get our ninth win and finish off the season strong."