The Atlanta Falcons shocked the world when they made Michael Penix Jr. the eighth overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The decision came just a month after the Falcons signed Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract.
Now, just two years later, the Falcons have released Cousins, seemingly clearing the path for Penix to be the team’s franchise QB, right? Wrong. After Penix tore his ACL back in November, the Falcons knew they might not have a quarterback to begin the year, so they signed former Pro Bowler Tua Tagovailoa, who is expected to start. So where does that leave Penix?
Penix’s Clock in Atlanta Already Ticking
Michael Penix Jr.
Jun 16, 2026; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) reacts while being interviewed by the media during Minicamp. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Penix has started just 12 NFL games. That’s only two more than J.J. McCarthy, who was selected two spots after Penix, and actually has a better win-loss record at 6-4 compared to Penix at 4-8.
Now headed into the third season of a four-year rookie deal, some, like The Athletic’s Josh Kendall, believe Penix’s future in Atlanta is already numbered.
“The Falcons quarterback is halfway through the rookie deal that started when Atlanta shocked most of the league by making him the 2024 draft’s No. 8 pick,” Kendall wrote. “He has 12 starts, four wins, two 300-yard games and a 59.6 percent completion rate in his career. Fair or not, the decision clock on his future is already ticking. So far, Penix has done nothing to justify picking up his fifth-year option, much less offering him a long-term deal. There’s still a lot of optimism in the building that he can, but he’s got to beat out Tua Tagovailoa for the starting job first.”
Already 26 years old, Penix will have to work really hard, not just to fend off Tagovailoa for the starting job, but to earn a second contract in Atlanta. Yet, by the Falcons giving Tagovailoa a shot at becoming their franchise QB, the writing is already on the wall for Penix.
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Dedicated NFL copywriter/editor. My work has been found on Sportsnaut, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, MSN, Yahoo, and Minnesota Sports ... More about Andrew Buller-Russ