Geno Smith Touts 'Special' Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. After NFL Debut

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith spoke highly of Atlanta Falcons rookie Michael Penix Jr. after Sunday's game.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. made his NFL debut Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Michael Penix Jr. slid back his right foot, then his left, and rolled his eyes toward the left sideline. The Atlanta Falcons' rookie quarterback bounced off his back leg and fired a bullet to fellow rookie Casey Washington.

Some 14 yards later, Washington was on the Mercedes-Benz Stadium turf with a pack of Seattle Seahawks defensive players surrounding him. Behind the sixth-round receiver, Penix walked upfield, eyeing the Falcons' sideline for the next play.

The scoreboard showed Seattle 34, Atlanta 14, as the two-minute warning approached. But elsewhere, the NFL record books showed two new additions: Penix and Washington, with the two rookies recording their first pass and reception, respectively.

For Penix, the draft's No. 8 overall pick and the Falcons' backup to quarterback Kirk Cousins, his seven snaps in Sunday's 34-14 loss to Seattle were the first of his young NFL career.

"It was kind of a surreal moment," Penix said. "It's not the best situation we were in, with us being down, but to be able to go in and operate at a high level, it was definitely good."

Penix entered for the Falcons' final drive, as head coach Raheem Morris felt the game was over and he saw no reasons to throw the 36-year-old Cousins, who'd turned the ball over on each of the team's previous three possessions, back on the field.

So, in went Atlanta's prized rookie.

Penix's completion to Washington, who had played eight special teams snaps in two appearances before Sunday's game, was his lone pass attempt on debut.

On the other six plays, Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson called runs -- one to second-year pro Bijan Robinson and five to sixth-round rookie Jase McClellan, who was active for the first time Sunday and thus received his first NFL carries.

McClellan finished with 17 yards and averaged 3.4 yards per carry. He and Washington were the Falcons' only two skill position draft picks apart from Penix, who was impressed by the way his fellow rookies handled their moment.

"Casey's a guy that works hard every single day," Penix said. "He goes full speed. You saw when he got the ball, he made a couple players miss. And Jase coming in as well, running the ball, running extremely hard -- it was good to see him out there as well."

While Penix enjoyed the performances of Washington and McClellan, he had his own admirer on the field Sunday: Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith.

Penix and Smith met last year, when Penix was the quarterback at the University of Washington, a 20-minute drive up I-405 N from the Seahawks' training facility in Renton, Washington.

Smith watched as Penix finished second in the Heisman Trophy race and led the Huskies to the College Football Playoff National Championship game.

And on Sunday, Smith saw Penix debut -- and believes the 24-year-old has a bright future ahead of him.

"He's a special player," Smith said about Penix. "I think when he gets his opportunity, he's going to be ready for it. I really believe in him. Obviously, him and [Seahawks offensive coordinator Ryan] Grubb have done great things together, and it was great to see them have a moment before the game.

"Really rooting for Mike and hoping for the best for him."

Penix thought his debut went well, saying postgame he works hard each day at practice to be ready when his moment arrives. On Sunday, it did.

But Penix knows he wasn't drafted by the Falcons for mop-up duty. And while the Tampa, Fla., native is grateful to check off a childhood bucket list, he's well aware there's plenty more to come.

"I can't get complacent, I can't get comfortable," Penix said. "It's still a lot of football left, and I feel like I'll play a lot of football in my future. But it's definitely a blessing -- something I've been dreaming of all my life -- and I'm super blessed to be able to have the opportunities."