ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. will have season-ending surgery to repair the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
The Falcons announced Penix’s surgery plans on Wednesday, two days after saying he would be placed on injured reserve and miss at least four games. The team said Penix has a partially torn ligament in the knee.
Penix suffered the injury in Sunday’s 30-27 overtime loss to Carolina, extending the Falcons’ losing streak to five games.
The Falcons drafted Penix with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft with hopes of him being the quarterback of Atlanta’s future. The plan was to allow quarterback Kirk Cousins, a veteran, to start while Penix developed as a rookie.
The Atlanta Falcons training staff tends to quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) during the...
The Atlanta Falcons training staff tends to quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) during the second half of an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers, Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Danny Karnik)(Danny Karnik | AP)
However, that plan escalated when Cousins was benched due to performance issues in Week 16 last year. Penix started the remaining three games and was named the starter moving forward into 2025.
Atlanta has a 3-6 record in games Penix has started this season — he missed the Falcons’ Week 8 loss to the Miami Dolphins due to a knee injury. Otherwise, in the nine games Penix has played, he has completed 60.1 percent of his passes for an average of 220.2 yards per game. He has thrown nine touchdowns and three interceptions.
With Penix sidelined, Cousins will be the team’s starter for the foreseeable future.
Prior to the injury, Penix was playing well after his uneven season so far. The Falcons — now losers of five straight — were leading 21-16 against the Carolina Panthers. Penix was 13 of 16 for 175 yards in just over two quarters when he was hit by safety Tre’von Moehrig just after he released the ball on third down.
Penix started to walk off the field, then sat down and waited for the athletic training staff. He walked to the sideline under his own power and was examined in the injury tent.
Cousins finished 6 of 14 for 84 yards with no touchdowns. The Falcons fell to 3-7 after losing 30-27 in overtime to their NFC South division rival.
The Falcons play the New Orleans Saints in the Big Easy next Sunday.
Penix has a history of injuries. While his time at Indiana was limited by injuries, he had a breakout year with the Washington Huskies in 2022, starting all 13 games. He then started all 15 games for Washington in 2023, leading them to the College Football Playoff National Championship.
But between those seasons, Penix had four season-ending injuries, including torn ACLs in 2018 and 2020.
He played only four games for the Falcons last year, taking over from Cousins after a four-game losing streak. He has already missed one start this year after suffering a bone bruise on his knee. That game saw the Falcons lose to the Miami Dolphins 34-10 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
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